Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Buy a test for Coronavirus (COVID-19)

The Online Clinic offers two types of Coronavirus tests.

Coronavirus IgG Antibody Test

This test is an IgG antibody test. You will be sent a sample collection kit specially designed to be used at home. Your blood sample (from a finger prick) is then sent to our laboratory to be analysed. You will receive a copy of your lab report with an interpretation from a doctor telling you if you have the Covid-19 IgG antibodies (indicating that you have had the infection). Results take 24 hours from when the sample is received at the lab. NOTE THAT THIS SERVICE IS CURRENTLY SUSPENDED BUT WE HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE AVAILABLE BELOW.

Our lab is using tests manufactured by Abbott Laboratories. The tests have a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 99.5%. These data were validated using venous samples. The independent laboratory that we use has conducted internal evaluations that have demonstrated that serum collected from a capillary blood sample using one of our home kits performs within the same performance criteria as that from a venous blood sample. The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency has recently concluded a review of self-collect blood samples for this type of test and the service has been paused until the required documentation is filed and reviewed. We expect to resume this service shortly.

We currently offer a home-sampling service where a phlebotomist attends your home (or other premises) to collect the blood sample from a vein. Please see the button below to proceed with a purchase. We offer discounts for multiple patient samples at the same location (please contact the help desk for further information on pricing). The service is available throughout the UK and can be booked for a few days after you pay. Please note that the website will automatically charge a delivery fee of £3.95, which will be refunded.

COVID-19 IgG Antibody Home Test

The home sampling service is currently suspended but will be back shortly

Your lab report will detail the platform used to conduct the analysis of your sample and other information on the validation of the test.

The sample is to be taken 14 days or more after the onset of symptoms or possible exposure to the virus.

COVID-19 IgG Antibody Home Test (Nurse Collect) £199.95

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Viral RNA by PCR

This test is a Viral RNA test- to check if you currently have the virus. The test kit we send out involves you taking samples from your throat and nose and sending this back to our laboratory for analysis. The return envelope is a tracked service, and this is included in the price. You will receive your results from a doctor online within 1 - 2 days of the sample arriving back at the lab.

The lab-based PCR test has a sensitivity of at least 98% and a specificity of 100%, with no cross-reactivity with other viruses. The optimum point for sample collection is days 1 - 5 following onset of symptoms, with day 3 preferred. After day 5, the virus is generally no longer present in the upper respiratory tract.

All positive results are reported to Public Health England each morning and are included in the country's total Coronavirus cases announced that day.

This test is now being required by some airlines and border security agencies for members of the travelling public. The lab report is provided to evidence "free from Covid-19".

COVID-19 RNA PCR Swab £129.95

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What is Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Coronaviruses are a family of organisms that infect humans and animals. They are responsible for a range of infections including: the common cold; MERS; and SARS. Covid-19 is caused by a new coronavirus that was first identified in China in December 2019.

How do you catch Coronavirus?

Coronavirus is spread via respiratory droplets when someone sneezes or coughs. Droplets are emitted when a person exhales and the droplets land on surfaces around the person Another person will touch surface and transfer the virus by touching their eyes, nose or mouth. It is also possible to breath in respiratory droplets directly if you are close to another person when they cough or sneeze. It is for this reason that it is recommended that you remain 2 metres apart for other people who are not members of your household.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19

For most people the symptoms will be mild with a fever (elevated temperature), a continuous dry cough and fatigue. Some patients will experience aching limbs, sore throat and diarrhoea. Some infected people will have no symptoms or symptoms that are so mild that they are not noticeable.

What is the incubation period?

The period between the acquisition of this new coronavirus and the symptoms of COVID-19 appearing, ranges from 1 - 14 days. The average is 5 days.

Are there medicines to treat COVID-19?

There are no medicines that have been identified that definitely treat or prevent COVID-19. Some older medicines that are currently licensed for other purposes are in clinical trials to assess their effectiveness against COVID-19. It is not recommended that patients use any of these medications unless they have been prescribed for them by a doctor. At The Online Clinic, we do not recommend the use of any of the medications that have been highlighted in the press. They may be appropriate is a hospital setting, where the risk/benefit balance will be very different from patients self-administering at home.

Vaccines for COVID-19

There is no vaccine currently available, but some are in development. Vaccines can take 12 - 18 months to obtain a licence - even in urgent situations such as the COVID-19 public health crisis.

Protecting yourself from COVID-19

If you have any of these symptoms:

Fever (Temperature of 37.8 C or above)

Continuous dry cough

Loss of/change in smell or taste.

Then you must self-isolate for 7 days from the point you developed symptoms and your household must self-isolate for 14 days from the point that you develop symptoms. If a member of the household develops symptoms, their isolation ends after day 7 from the point they developed symptoms. Any person who still has a fever after 7 days must continue self-isolating until their temperature returns to normal. You do not need to continue isolation if you have a cough after 7 days. The cough can persist for several weeks.

The person with symptoms should confine themselves to a well-ventilated room with a window that opens. Contact with other members of the household should be avoided.

Wash your hands frequently and every time you return from a trip outside.

Face masks may confer some protection, but they are not generally recommended unless you have the virus or symptoms of the virus and you are caring for someone. If you are not symptomatic or have not tested positive for the virus, we do not recommend that you purchase face masks as it leads to shortages for those who actually need this form of personal protective equipment.

Reviewed by: Dr Junaid Patel (GMC no. - 7049798)

Date: 04 May 2020

Next review: 03 May 2022

All UK registered doctors can have their registration checked on The Medical Register at the GMC website.