Quantitative Antibody FAQ’s Orange County
Since the blog last week advising antibody counts to help predict vaccine failures, we have had many questions. Let’s answer a few now.
-Caduceus and PDQ Urgent Care and More can draw the counts during an office visit of any type or at their draw stations. Due to high demand, we have specific times we are drawing total antibody counts. They are as follows:
-Caduceus at the Packing House 18200 Yorba Linda Blvd. –
- Caduceus Family Physicians (Red Cross tent)- 8:30-5
- Caduceus for Women and Caduceus 4 Kids (Candyland)- 8-5
-Yorba Linda PDQ Urgent Care & More 18220 Yorba Linda Boulevard, Suite 301-
- Mon-Fri 8-8 Sat/Sun 9-5
-Orange PDQ Urgent Care & More 7630 E Chapman Ave, Suite B.-
- Mon-Fri 8-8 Sat 9-3
-Irvine- Caduceus Jamboree and PDQ Urgent Care and More 19742 MacArthur Blvd. Ste 100-
- Mon-Fri- 8-5
-Laguna Beach- Caduceus on Thalia 333 Thalia
- Mon-Fri 8-6 Sat 9-3
-If you are a registered Caduceus or PDQ patient, you do not need a doctor’s order. If not, a quick video visit will give the order.
-The tests are sent to Labcorp, which uses a different system than Quest. The readings for counts cannot be compared against the two. Our ranges are for Labcorp only.
-We are aware there are many different types of antibody tests at Quest, Labcorp, and other labs. Our recommendation is ONLY for the TOTAL antibody count through Labcorp. It is the best way for us to compare apples to apples.
-We have NO affiliation with Labcorp, and do NOT receive any type of financial reward to use them. They were the first to offer the test to our patients, and with thousands of their tests to study and review that we have ordered, we continue to use them.
-If just the total antibody screen is ordered, and insurance doesn’t pay, the cost has been $40-50 for most patients. Caduceus simply sends the blood to Labcorp, which bills the patient or insurance. Caduceus is not liable or responsible for billing questions or disputes with Labcorp.
-What Caduceus data shows are that if the TOTAL count from Labcorp is over 400, it is highly unlikely you will contract Covid, and if you do it would be a mild case.
Almost all our positive PCR tests are in patients whose antibody counts are under 300, even if vaccinated or having recovered from Covid.
We are NOT making a scientific conclusion, simply sharing our data.
• It is a reasonable assumption that keeping your antibody count over 400 will help protect you against contracting Covid.
• If you are under 300, we advise a vaccination or a booster.
-From our data, it does not seem to matter how you get these antibodies. There are only two ways to have anti-Covid antibodies in your blood.
1. Recover from a Covid infection
2. Receive a Covid vaccine or booster
-We do not profess a strong opinion which antibodies are “better.” Our data tells us natural antibodies last longer in our patients than vaccine antibodies. But both fade in time, thus our advice to check antibody counts regularly.
-The experts seem to agree that high antibody counts are protective, but do not agree on the best values. We anxiously await their research to be published. Until that time, we stand by our data to help guide our patients.
Gregg DeNicola MD
Caduceus Medical Group, PDQ Urgent Care & More, PDQ Telehealth