Molecular COVID-19 testing offered at Hertz Arena pop-up site

Hertz Arena announced over the weekend that they were creating a pop-up COVID-19 testing site in the parking lot. The Village of Estero is offering the testing to the public and people who are coming to Estero to visit family and friends.

But Molecular Testing is different from other types of coronavirus testing because it takes just a little bit longer. However, medical experts say it is more accurate, which is important during the week of Thanksgiving.

Peter Cordon took one of those molecular COVID-19 tests. “I’m older and I thought I would check it out and see if I’m ok. I feel ok, but you never know,” said Cordon.

On Monday, he came out to get a free test just to be sure he’s okay. Cordon says he isn’t taking any chances with the holidays right around the corner.

“We are doing a little get together – six people. And I want to be sure, comfortable. And it’s great that they have this testing available,” Cordon said.

At Hertz Arena, Cordon and hundreds of others were able to get a molecular test instead of the rapid antigen tests offered at sites like CenturyLink.

Molecular tests are more sensitive and look for the virus’s genetic material. Antigen tests only look for pieces of the virus. That is how those antigen tests provide faster, yet less accurate, results.

Dr. Yuka Manabe is an infectious disease specialist at Johns Hopkins. “Infectious people are likely to be found by a test like Abbott ID Now and other molecular tests… overall, it’s more sensitive than an antigen test,” Dr. Manabe.

For Cordon, the level of accuracy that comes with the molecular test is worth the wait. ”
“Of course, I’d like to know right now – but I’d rather have more thorough, I’d rather have that versus false positives or false negatives. So I’m glad it’s more thorough, a higher percentage of success,” he said.

Neither an antigen nor a molecular test can tell if the virus in your body is still alive or contagious, only that you’ve been exposed to coronavirus.

The third available kind of tests is an antibody test, that’s what tells you had the virus already.