COVID-19 Antibody Tests Now Available In Bal Harbour
BAL HARBOUR (CBSMiami) – COVID-19 antibody tests are now available in Bal Harbour. Banyan Medical Systems and Pivot Concierge Health is opening a drive-through antibody testing site.
The site is located next to the Bal Harbour Shops Parking Garage's 96th Street entrance.
It opens Tuesday, May 5, and will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Antibody tests, also known as serology tests, do not identify an active infection. Instead, they detect antibodies in the immune system that fight off the coronavirus.
The presence of antibodies would indicate a person was exposed to the virus and could be protected from re-infection -- though it's still unclear how strong that immunity might be or how long it would last.
RELATED: CBS4's Joan Murray Gets Firsthand Look At How Antibody Test Is Administered
Such tests are seen as key to rolling back social distancing because they give public health officials an idea of how widely the virus has spread.
The rapid-result method is being used at this site and administered by finger-stick testing the blood for antibodies.
Appointments are required and can be made now through an online screening questionnaire at www.covid33154.com.
Screenings are available for 600 people per day at the drive-thru site.
Eligible people will be given a first-come-first-serve appointment with priority time slots for first responders and seniors age 65 and older.
All major insurance providers, including Medicare and Medicaid, will be accepted.
