COVID-19 Antibody Testing Now Available By Dr. Stephen Prendiville

FORT MYERS, FLA., May 1, 2020 – Facial Plastic Surgeon Dr. Stephen Prendiville is now offering COVID-19 Antibody Testing at his Fort Myers office. Prendiville said he wanted to do something to help individuals who are concerned about whether they have had or have come into contact with someone with the COVID-19 virus.
“There aren’t many testing sites available yet.  With our staff of medical professionals, we thought this would be a way to make testing more readily available,” he said.
Testing to see if someone has antibodies in their blood isn’t the same as testing to see if they are infected with COVID-19.  An antibody test can determine if someone has been infected and recovered.
This is especially useful for individuals who want to go back to work but must have a test or doctor’s note before they can return to their jobs.
“It has not yet been proven that antibodies are protection for this novel virus, but antibodies are generally considered as a form of protection after viral illnesses.  We are not encouraging actively sick individuals to have this test,” he said.
Broad testing of even a portion of the U.S. population could give researchers a general idea of how many Americans have been infected, which could be useful in predicting who might be immune if COVID-19 cases spike again this fall.
You do not have to be a patient of Dr. Prendiville’s to receive the test, which costs $220.  Individuals may be able to file with their health insurance company on their own to recover part of the cost. Appointments are available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Dr. Prendiville’s office at  9407 Cypress Lake Drive in Fort Myers.  Call 239-437-3900 for an appointment.