WEST DES MOINES, Iowa—Hy-Vee, Inc. will begin offering COVID-19 rapid antibody testing at more than 250 Hy-Vee pharmacy locations on Monday, Jan. 18. Patients will receive same day test results in as few as 15 minutes after completing the test.
The rapid antibody test is available for patients who wish to learn if they have been previously infected with COVID-19 in the past and are not currently experiencing symptoms.
Patients must register ahead of time through www.hy-vee.com/covidtesting and select “antibody test” to schedule a testing time and location and receive a test voucher. Tests will be administered inside the Hy-Vee Pharmacy. The test costs $25 and may be purchased with any form of payment, including health savings accounts (HSA) and flexible spending accounts (FSA). Patients will pay for their test when they arrive at the designated pharmacy. The test uses a finger stick to collect a small blood sample, which is administered by a trained Hy-Vee Pharmacy team member. After testing is complete, results will be sent to the patient via email that same day.
An antibody test can show whether a patient was infected with the COVID-19 virus in the past. Antibodies are proteins a person’s body makes to fight infections. The rapid antibody test will help assess if patients have antibodies to the virus that causes COVID-19.
The rapid antibody test does not show if a patient has a current infection, because it can take 1-3 weeks after infection to make antibodies. The rapid antibody test cannot be used to diagnose current infection.
The list of Hy-Vee pharmacy locations offering the COVID-19 rapid antibody test can be found below. Testing dates and times vary by location. Children 6 years or older can be tested with the rapid antibody test when registered and accompanied by a parent or guardian. All patients are required to wear a mask during the testing process.
For patients who would like to be tested for current COVID-19 infection, Hy-Vee continues to offer free COVID-19 lab testing (molecular PCR) outside more than 180 pharmacy locations in coordination with eTrueNorth. Results for the lab testing associated with this test are usually available in 3-5 business days. Hy-Vee also offers rapid antigen testing via an outside, drive-thru testing process at 59 Hy-Vee pharmacy locations, with results available the same day. Visit www.hy-vee.com/covidtesting to register for a lab (molecular PCR) or rapid antigen test appointment.
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