CLEARWATER, Fla. — Right now, many people in the Tampa Bay area are waiting days or even weeks to get tested for COVID-19 and learn the results.
But one Clearwater doctor knows that the waiting time is only prolonging the spread of the virus. That's why Dr. Deepa Verma with Synergistiq Integrative Health is providing rapid curbside COVID-19 testing.
With a simple prick of the finger blood sample and a 15-minute wait, Verma says she is able to tell whether a patient currently has COVID-19 or if they have already had it.
"So when we’re looking for IgG that is a past infection. However, IgM is another type of antibody that is made as soon as we get infected, so if someone is positive for IgM, that's going to indicate a current infection," said Verma.
Verma says the instant COVID-19 test is FDA approved and has more than a 98 percent accuracy rate. She says many people she tests say they cannot wait days or weeks for test results.
"I'm testing a lot of people who need to be cleared immediately to be able to travel," said Verma.
Verma says since the state's phase two reopening in June, she has seen a significant increase in positive tests.
"I was getting a lot of negatives back in April and May. All of a sudden in the past two weeks, with the same exact test, I'm seeing a lot of positives, so I have consistency. And I’m seeing it in much younger crowds too, so my 20-year-olds and 30-year-olds are the ones testing positive," said Verma.
The test cost around $150. Insurance does not cover the cost but Verma says health savings account payments are accepted.
For more information and to learn how to make an appointment for a rapid COVID-19 test, call Synergistiq Integrative Health at 727-754-2936.
Their office is located in the Fessler Center at 3165 McMullen Booth Rd, Clearwater, FL 33761.
