Crush The Curve campaign offering COVID-19 antibody tests in Idaho Falls
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IDAHO FALLS — Eastern Idaho residents can now receive a COVID-19 antibody test thanks to a group of businesses who want to get Idahoans back to work.
Crush The Curve Idaho is a statewide initiative aimed at reducing the spread of COVID-19. They’ve partnered with Mountain View Hospital to offer a COVID-19 antibody serology test to community members beginning Monday.
“COVID was the initial focus, and then as the University of Washington introduced their antibody test, that became the focus once we validated the sensitivity and specificity of that serology test,” Ball Ventures CEO and Crush The Curve Board Member Cortney Liddiard said.
The test is a blood draw that is sent to the University of Washington. Executive Director of Crush the Curve, Tina Upson, told EastIdahoNews it takes about two to three minutes and results are available two days later.
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“UDub has retooled their lab and several floors to be able to accomplish this and brought on more equipment, which is the Abbott Architect, and can process all the tests that we can ship over to them,” Liddiard said.
The test specifically determines whether someone had COVID-19, not just a generic form of coronavirus. Though this test is not FDA-approved, Upson says it is authorized for use under the emergency act and all test results are reported to the state.
“It has 100% sensitivity and 99.6% specificity,” Liddiard explained.
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Testing will be available Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. at The Waterfront in Snake River Landing. All social distancing rules will be followed, sanitation volunteers will be wiping everything down constantly and masks and gloves will be worn.
Those who show up will be given a packet to fill out in their car, which Upson says will take about 10 minutes. Once the paperwork is complete, you put it on your dashboard and wait for your name to be called. Once your paperwork is reviewed, you’ll be directed to the blood draw line.
“In the first two weeks of CrushTheCurveIdaho.com, we have dramatically increased testing capacity in Idaho,” CEO of Mountain View Hospital James Adamson said in a news release. “Working with the state, we are ready to test Idahoans early so that we can contain future COVID-19 outbreaks. In addition, the antibody tests will be very useful for employers and families in Idaho as they navigate their way back to work.”
The test costs $95 and may be covered by your insurance. Upson says there will be funding set aside for those unable to pay and no one will be turned away.
Testing will be available in Chubbuck beginning Thursday at Idaho Central Credit Union at 4400 Central Way.
“The focus really is to get people back to work as soon as we can. Get people in those plants. Get people employed. Get this economy across the state up and running,” Liddiard said.
Appointments are not required but you can streamline the process if one is set up. To schedule an appointment, click here.