All COVID-19 testing performed at ARCpoint Labs is FDA-authorized by the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), and is performed in credentialed Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified laboratories.
Monterey, CA, May 26, 2020 — ARCpoint Labs of Monterey Bay, the foremost lab doing COVID-19 testing in Monterey County, is now offering local companies and businesses COVID-19 testing so they can be prepared for phased-in back-to-work orders from the state.
ARCpoint now has back-to-work packages to help businesses open safely, implement preventative measures and instill confidence in employees that they will be safe when they go to work and that consumers will be safe when they go to these businesses. All COVID-19 testing performed at ARCpoint Labs is FDA-authorized by the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), and is performed in credentialed Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified laboratories.
Testing packages, which can be different depending on the type of business and number of employees, can include:
>Three types of testing for COVID-19, one PCR (swab test) that tests for virus itself and two lab-based antibody tests.
>Forms to document the testing.
>Results of tests and explanation of results.
>Sample letter to use for businesses to announce employee testing.
>How to follow up to employees after test results come in.
>Discussion of any follow-up testing that may be necessary.
>On-site and on-call mobile units to perform testing for hiring events, back-to-work testing, or emergency response.
>Expedited turnaround times available.
ARCpoint can also consult with businesses through Zoom video conferencing to go over what's available to them.
The tests administered by ARCpoint are the most accurate and reliable on the market today, according to ARCpoint Lab Director Spenser Smith. Businesses and their employees do not have to have symptoms of the virus or to be referred by a doctor to get the tests. Smith does recommend, however, that business owners and employees consult with their primary care physicians before testing.
"We're not competing with other companies who are preparing businesses to open by offering plans for safe practices, we're coming from the lab perspective, because every reopening needs a testing component," said Smith. "There are not a lot of facilities in Monterey County doing lab tests. Anybody can get a test from us, so working with a lab directly makes it easier and more affordable to include testing in a safe and responsible back-to-work strategy.”
Smith said his lab will not only relay results to employers and their employees, they will explain what different results mean, and offer best practices on how to use results to make fact-based decisions to enhance employee and customer safety.
"It's a delicate balancing act between giving results and offering advice," Smith said.
Any questions or concerns about such things as preventative measures, contact tracing and quarantining should be directed to the Monterey County Health Department, he added.
Smith said that ARCpoint can also do the testing at a company's place of work, which is convenient for businesses and companies with a large number of employees.
For more information on the Back-to-Work package, call ARCpoint at (831) 324-0772. To make an appointment to be tested, go to: labtestmonterey.com.
ARCpoint Labs of Monterey Bay is located at 24560 Silver Cloud Court, #103, in Monterey. ARCpoint Labs is an independently owned ARCpoint Labs business, part of a Greenville, South Carolina-based franchise.
Smith said ARCpoint is now offering two versions of the lab-based COVID-19 antibody test: a single antibody test which detects only the long-term antibody IgG; and a triple antibody test which looks for IgM, IgG, and IgA to get the most complete and reliable information.
(Note: Antibodies are produced by the immune system to fight antigen like SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. IgM refers to those antibodies that are produced immediately after an exposure to the disease, while IgG refers to a later response. IgG generally confers protection to a patient so far as a particular virus is concerned. IgA is an antibody that plays a crucial role in the immune function of mucous membranes, such as the lungs, sinuses, stomach, and intestines. The amount of IgA produced in association with mucosal membranes is greater than all other types of antibody combined.)
ARCpoint is also offering the so-called RT-PCR tests (also known as a rRT-PCR test), which involves a nasal swab to test for the coronavirus itself.
ARCpoint Labs of Monterey Bay, which Smith started with his family in 2018, is one of more than 100 diagnostic testing lab franchises across the U.S. It has partnerships with leading medical labs around the country, allowing it to offer cutting-edge testing solutions from many labs for any need, including the latest and most reliable COVID-19 testing available.
Some of the antibody tests that have been rushed to the market have experienced unreliable results, but Smith said he is confident that the newest COVID-19 antibody tests offered by the lab, which have achieved FDA authorization, are of high quality.
"Independent scientific studies performed around the country continue to show that, while antibody testing is not perfect, it does provide valuable information for individuals as well as for leaders and public health officials to make decisions," Smith said. "The latest FDA-authorized tests authored by such companies as Abbott and Roche have been showing accuracy characteristics that truly take antibody testing to the next level of reliability and usefulness."
Turnaround time for the results of the tests remains 3-5 days, but may be expedited, Smith said. The new lab-based COVID-19 antibody tests could change the way people and businesses are reacting to the pandemic, providing a path toward normalcy for Americans.
Media note: ARCpoint Co-Owner and Labs Lab Director Spenser Smith is available for media interviews. Please contact Marci Bracco Cain at (831) 747-7455 to set up an interview.
ABOUT ARCPOINT LABS
ARCpoint Labs is a full-service national third-party provider and administrator of accurate, reliable, and confidential diagnostic testing for individuals, companies, and legal and healthcare professionals. ARCpoint Labs has been in the drug and alcohol testing business for over 18 years, and our staff has over 60 years of combined industry experience. ARCpoint Labs has over 100 locations across the country with an additional 18 locations slated to open within the next 12 months. For more information on ARCpoint Labs, visit www.arcpointlabs.com.
ARCpoint Labs of Monterey Bay is an independently owned ARCpoint Labs business, part of a Greenville, South Carolina-based franchise. The Smith family of Monterey, brothers Spenser and Bryant and their parents Belle and Randy, established the company in 2018.
ARCpoint Labs of Monterey Bay
24560 Silver Cloud Court, #103 Monterey, CA 93940
Phone: (831) 324-0772
Email: monterey@arcpointlabs.com
Website: www.arcpointlabs.com
COVID-19 Appointments: labtestmonterey.com
> On-site and on-call mobile testing units for hiring events, routine testing, or incident response.
> Rapid turnaround times available.
Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
http://www.arcpointlabs.com
