COVID antibody testing available

A local naturopath is welcoming news that COVID antibody testing has arrived.

Infinity North’s Dr. Dianna Giles-Grawbarger says the test can be really valuable for those people who may have been sick and while the virus is no longer active, they still have symptoms like headache, muscle pain, fatigue or even prolonged cough.

“A person who has been having symptoms and you found out that ‘yes, you have the antibodies’ so it’s highly possible that your symptoms are because of COVID then we can treat you appropriately naturopathically,” she says. “Naturopathic medicine is different from conventional medicine because conventional medicine doesn’t have a lot of tools to treat post-viral fatigue, or headaches or myalgia, which is muscle pain.”

She says the FDA approved test is available across the province and locally at Dynacare.

“The phone has been ringing off the hook for people who have had symptoms and they’re just not getting better they’re wondering if they’ve had it and this is now available to people to find out, so I’m pretty excited that people will feel some hope,” Dr Giles-Grawbarger says.

The test is available for a cost.

She says it’s $70 if it’s requisitioned by your doctor or $95 through a naturopath, because they get charged extra fees through OHIP.

“The real value is that we can have people going as early as next week and it’s difficult to get into your conventional medical doctor,” says Dr. Giles-Grawbarger.

(Photo by station staff)