CentraCare Ramping Up Testing, Not Developing Their Own Tests

ST. CLOUD -- St. Cloud health officials say they will not be creating their own COVID-19 test kits.

Dr. George Morris says CentraCare is not a research laboratory like the Mayo Clinic or the University of Minnesota, but they have a strong working relationship with them to utilize their services when it comes to testing.

Morris says they are still testing patients on-site who show symptoms, and are working to add antibody testing.

We're still looking at testing people with symptoms, those are the antigen tests, so is the virus in your body. We are also having increased availability of antibody tests. These are tests that show if you had a previous exposure to the virus or has your body developed an immune response to it. I think we are going to hear more about those types of tests.

Morris says they hope to have more information regarding testing and availability in the near future.

As of last week, CentraCare had done over 750 tests throughout the region with only one patient testing positive for COVID-19. That patient has been recovering at home.