Coronavirus (COVID-19) Testing Clinic in Clarkston, MI

Be sure to follow the guidance of health officials at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to keep yourself and those you interact with safe from COVID-19. Instead of a vaccine, the best practices to keep yourself and others safe from COVID-19 include the following:

• Frequent handwashing with soap and water
• Using hand sanitizer when soap and water are inaccessible
• Limiting the number of people you interact with regularly and the number of times you go out
• Staying home when you are sick
• Avoiding contact with other people who are sick
• Wearing a mask whenever you go out in public or are with other people

If you need to get tested for COVID-19, call us at Pine Knob Urgent Care or your local healthcare provider to discuss your symptoms and arrange for testing at a secure facility. We provide safe and effective antibody and COVID-19 testing right here at Pine Knob Urgent Care!

There are a few different types of testing for COVID-19, including nucleic-based acid testing, serology or antibody testing, and rapid antigen tests. Each of these tests has particular methods to identify the past or present presence of COVID-19.

With the nucleic-based acid testing, also known as molecular or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, nasopharyngeal swabs are taken from nasal secretions in the nose and back of the throat to look for the COVID-19 pathogen in the individual’s deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). Since PCR testing looks for the actual COVID-19 pathogen, it is particularly well-suited to detecting the virus in its early stages. PCR testing is the most commonly used test for COVID-19 detection.

Serology or antibody testing looks for antibodies generated by the individual’s immune system in response to the COVID-19 virus. These antibodies are found in your blood. As such, the test is conducted by drawing a small vial of blood from the patient’s arm. It can take one to two weeks for these antibodies to develop. As such, antibody testing is not typically used to diagnose COVID-19 in the immediate sense but is more effective for determining if a person has recovered from the novel coronavirus.

Rapid antigen testing is in the early stages of development. As such, the reliability of these tests is not fully understood or ironed out. However, the benefits of this type of testing have great potential. It also relies on nasopharyngeal swabs from the nose and back of the throat. Still, it uses the same method as a rapid strep test, looking for molecules on the surface of the novel coronavirus that appear on a test strip as a result of a chemical reaction.

COVID-19 spreads from person to person through respiratory droplets when a person coughs, sneezes, or talks in the presence of another person within a six-foot radius. The droplets can be inhaled or ingested by people within six feet of the infected individual. Less common ways of COVID-19 transmission include touching a surface that contains droplets of the virus and then touching one’s eyes, mouth, or nose.

If you are looking for an established and responsible health clinic in Clarkston, Michigan that provides COVID-19 testing, we have what you are looking for at Pine Knob Urgent Care! Make an appointment or just walk-in! Pine Knob Urgent Care is located at 6310 Sashabaw Road, Suite C, in Clarkston, Michigan. You can reach us during the hours of 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM from Monday to Friday, and from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM on weekends and holidays. We serve patients from Clarkston MI, Waterford Twp MI, Springfield MI, Pontiac MI, Auburn Hills MI, Oxford MI, and surrounding areas.