Calmer Clinics is delighted to announce that we are UK Government-approved for offering COVID antigen and antibody test kits in collaboration with our lab partners The Doctors Laboratory (ISO 15189 UKAS accreditation 8059, https://www.tdlpathology.com/about-us/quality-assurance/ ).
Please note these are SELF-ADMINISTERED (‘At-Home’) KITS and we DO NOT have testing facilities at the clinic. From 15th December 2020, international arrivals into England will be able to opt-in to ‘Testing to Release’. Calmer Clinics is NOT providing ‘Testing to Release’.
Anyone purchasing these tests must use their own judgement about the best date to purchase, carry out and return the test to the lab. We cannot take responsibility for any test timelines and associated outcomes. All purchases are at your own risk. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO WRITE THE CORRECT DATE AND TIME THAT THE SAMPLE WAS TAKEN ON THE REFERRAL FORM AND SAMPLE LABEL.
Our COVID tests:
1. COVID PCR (Antigen) swab (£150):
This test can tell you if you currently have Coronavirus (with an accuracy of 100% specificity and 98%-100% sensitivity), even if you don’t have symptoms. It can also be used if you do currently have symptoms and want to know if they are caused by COVID. This is the ‘Gold-Standard’ COVID Antigen test. There is no ‘best-before’ on these kits and they require no special storage methods so can be purchased in advance in case you may need one for future use and to shorten turnaround time.
In taking the test you are agreeing that your data can be shared with government organisations for COVID purposes. For example for clinical research or public health monitoring. In addition, your data may be entered into the NHS test and trace system. If you do not wish your data to be used in this way then you should NOT order the test.
What is involved:
- You email us (Covidtest@calmerclinics.com) to say which test(s) you would like and providing your name and contact telephone number.
- We will contact you and record your additional information (postal address, gender, and date of birth) as well as asking you to complete a GDPR form and email that back to us.
- Payment is arranged via BACS transfer.
- We issue you with a referral form, via email, based on the information you provided. Please check the correct information has been entered.
- The testing kit (containing full easy-to-follow instructions, a throat/ nasal swab, specimen pot, and pre-paid Royal Mail Tracked 24 specimen bag) is couriered to your home address (within 24 hours of order acknowledgement, if inside a 2-mile radius of SW1V) or posted to you via Royal Mail Special Guaranteed Next Working Day delivery.
- When you are ready, follow the clear and simple instructions for taking the throat/ nasal swab sample yourself.
- Put the sample container and completed referral form (making sure to enter the time and date of sample) into the specimen bag and apply the address label.
- Post or drop it off in a Royal Mail Priority post box. You can use the tracking number with the Royal Mail app. Or, for faster service, you can bring the sample in person to The Doctors’ Laboratory (WC1H 9AX or W1G 9RT).
- Within 48 hours you will have the the result(s) emailed to you in an official format with the lab report, date and time of sample and your details. These are currently sufficient to meet the ‘Fit To Fly’ requirements. On request, we can also forward you hard copies of the results after we have received them from the lab.
Please note: We cannot be held responsible for any delays due to Royal Mail turnaround problems nor for delays caused by lab issues which are beyond our control. No refunds will be provided in these circumstances.
If using a PCR result for travel, please consult the latest Foreign Office guidance on the suitability of this test for your destination (https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice). We are unable to provide specific advice on whether this test is suitable for your particular destination.
IF YOU TEST POSITIVE IT IS IMPERATIVE TO FOLLOW GOVERNMENT GUIDELINES FOR SELF-ISOLATION. IF YOU TEST NEGATIVE, THIS COULD BE DURING THE ‘INCUBATION’ OF THE VIRUS AND YOU STILL MAY HAVE IT AND BE CONTAGIOUS.
2. Whole Coronavirus (Antibody) fingerprick (£50):
This test can tell whether a person has been previously infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease. It uses the Roche Diagnostics Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 assay (with an accuracy of 99.8% specificity and 100% sensitivity). It only ‘works’ if the person infected with SARS-CoV-2 has produced antibodies (IgG, IgA, IgM) in sufficient quantities. Some people infected with SARS-CoV-2 produce an immunological T-cell response strong enough to neutralise the infection without involvement of the antibody response and this will produce a ‘false’ negative test result. The optimal time for performing this test is 14 days after possible infection and current research evidence has indicated that there may be a decline in testable antibody levels over time, ultimately leading to a negative test result even when the individual had previously been infected with SARS-CoV-2. These kits DO have a one-year expiry date and should be kept below 25 degrees centigrade and above 10 degrees centigrade.
What is involved:
- You email us (Covidtest@calmerclinics.com) to say which test(s) you would like and providing your name and contact telephone number.
- We will contact you and record your additional information (postal address, gender, and date of birth) as well as asking you to complete a GDPR form and email that back to us.
- Payment is arranged via BACS transfer.
- We issue you with a referral form, via email, based on the information you provided. Please check the correct information has been entered.
- The testing kit (containing full easy-to-follow instructions, cleansing wipes, plaster, sterile lancet and microtainer, and a pre-paid Royal Mail Tracked 24 specimen box) is couriered to your home address (within 24 hours of order acknowledgement, if inside a 2-mile radius of SW1V) or posted to you via Royal Mail Special Guaranteed Next Working Day delivery.
- When you are ready, follow the clear and simple instructions for taking the fingerpick blood sample yourself.
- Put the sample container and completed referral form (making sure to enter the time and date of sample) into the specimen box and apply the address label.
- Post or drop it off in a Royal Mail Priority post box. You can use the tracking number with the Royal Mail app. Or, for faster service, you can bring the sample in person to The Doctors’ Laboratory (WC1H 9AX or W1G 9RT).
- Within 48 hours you will have the the result(s) emailed to you in an official format with the lab report, date and time of sample and your details. On request, we can also forward you hard copies of the results after we have received them from the lab.
Please note: We cannot be held responsible for any delays due to Royal Mail turnaround problems nor for delays caused by lab issues which are beyond our control. No refunds will be provided in these circumstances.
IF YOU TEST POSITIVE THIS MAY NOT NECESSARILY GIVE YOU COMPLETE PROTECTION FROM RE-INFECTION.
3. SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (Antibody) fingerprick (£100):
This test will be available from mid-February and is sensitive to antibodies produced in response to the specific spike protein found on the outer coat of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It is therefore suitable for the same criteria as for the whole Coronavirus fingerprick antibody test but with the addition of being able to detect antibody status post-vaccination (1st and/ or 2nd dose). The new SARS-Cov-2 S (Spike Protein) Roche Antibody test is sensitive to both Pfizer/ BionTech and Oxford/ Astrazeneca vaccine types.
It will involve the same procedure as for the whole antibody test.
If you would like to order a test, please email us: Covidtest@calmerclinics.com
Calmer Clinics 