Two types of COVID-19 tests available in Jackson Co.

JACKSON CO., Ore. – Jackson Co. Public Health is encouraging anyone who believes they have COVID-19 symptoms to get tested for the disease. There are two tests available locally, one gets results back within just 20 minutes.

COVID-19 has changed our lives. At Valley Immediate Care and other health care clinics they’re trying to make it easy to get tested.

“The answer to this is [to] test as many people as we can find as many people early as we can and help them isolate so they don’t spread it on to others,” said Dr. Mona McArdle, Medical Director for Valley Immediate Care.

In the world of covid-19 testing, there are two main types of tests – PCR and Antigen.

PCR is the original type of COVID-19 test we’ve had in the Rogue Valley since the beginning of the pandemic. It’s done either by a nasal or saliva swab and is sent to various labs around the state.

“Right now we have enough supplies the PCR’s that they’re doing sometimes come back the same day, the next day, 3 days. In early July it was 14 days turn around on some of those PCRs, which was just not helpful,” said Dr. McArdle.

That’s why Jackson Co. looked at alternative tests, like the antigen test, which is known for its quick turnaround.

At the end of June, Jackson county helped Valley Immediate Care and La Clinica get thousands of antigen tests. This test takes 15 to 20 minutes but is slightly less accurate than the PCR test.

“There’s a lot of value in finding out what you got right now so we can isolate the sick people and figure out who to quarantine rather than have folks go on and continue to expose others,” said Dr. Jim Shames, Medical Director for Jackson Co. Public Health.

But in the medical community, there’s a debate on which test is superior.

“The question is do you want accuracy and are you willing to wait for 2 to 4 to 5 days to get it? Or do you want something that’s a little less accurate, but you find out right now,” said Dr. Shames.

Dr. Shames said in a perfect world, each community would have both. Jackson Co. Public Health has about 5,000 antigen tests. It plans to give them to various clinics soon, to make testing more accessible.

“Everybody receiving them is gonna have to think about how they are gonna do the test, how are they gonna report to public health there are processes that they need to set in place. That’s what we’re working on right now,” said Dr. Shames.

Dr. Shames encourages people who are sick to get tested. Doctors across the nation say the best way to prevent the spread of the virus is to wear a mask.

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