If you test positive on a home antigen test, you are considered COVID-19 positive.  You do not need to schedule a PCR test unless required by your employer, school, etc.

• How Testing Works at Reliant
• Testing Locations
• Testing for Patients Without Symptoms of COVID-19
• If You Have a Positive Test Result
• If You Have a Negative Test Result
• Antibody Testing

Learn How COVID-19 Testing Works at Reliant

Testing at Reliant is by appointment and is only available for Reliant patients.

Testing Locations

Auburn

The former Sears Automotive building, which is located at the Auburn Mall, but on the opposite side of where Reliant’s main entrance is.

Street address: 387 Southbridge Street, Auburn

Marlborough

Testing at our Southborough office moved to the former Sears Automotive building, which is located at the parking lot at Solomon Pond Mall.

Stress Address: 521 Donald Lynch Blvd., Marlborough

Testing for Patients Without Symptoms of COVID-19

Reliant will test asymptomatic patients (those not showing symptoms of COVID-19)  who express a “requirement” reason (including but not limited to requirements by employers, vacation rentals, camps, schools, travel requirements, etc.).  Patients should self-schedule a testing appointment in MyChart or contact their primary care provider’s office to request a test appointment.

Deductibles and co-insurance may apply for the COVID-19 test, so patients may receive a bill from Reliant.  Patients should contact their insurance company for questions about their specific coverage.

If You Have a Negative Test Result

If you test negative for the virus that causes COVID-19, the virus was not detected.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19:

• You may have received a false negative test result and still might have COVID-19. You should isolate away from others.
• Contact your healthcare provider if your symptoms worsen.
• Use our COVID-19 symptom checker to receive specific recommendations for your care based on your symptoms.

If you do not have symptoms of COVID-19, and you were a close contact to someone with COVID-19:

• You are likely not infected, but you still may get sick.
• Quarantine if you are not vaccinated or have not completed a primary vaccine series, or if you have not received all recommended booster shots.
  • If symptoms develop during home quarantine, contact your healthcare provider about follow-up testing; and
  • Isolate at home separated away from others.

If you do not have symptoms of COVID-19 and do not have a known exposure to a person with COVID-19:

• You do not need to quarantine.

If test positive for COVID-19, please visit our resource guide here.

What is a COVID-19 Antibody Test and Should I Get It?

Antibody tests check the blood for antibodies that indicate if a person has been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19.  Antibodies are proteins that help to fight off infection. Antibody testing is not used to diagnose COVID-19.

It is generally believed that the presence of antibodies for a specific virus confers some degree of immunity against getting the infection again; however, for COVID-19 we do not yet know how long immunity may last. Therefore, determining if someone once had COVID-19 doesn’t tell us with certainty if or for how long someone is protected. In short, more data is needed to understand the body’s immunity response after a COVID-19 infection.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is using antibody testing selectively to understand how widespread COVID-19 infection is in different communities to guide broad decisions about public health. The test is not used to develop treatment or management plans for an individual patient.

Reliant’s Position on Antibody Testing

Because of the uncertainty around COVID-19 immunity testing, Reliant Medical Group providers are not currently ordering antibody testing. This is because the results – either positive or negative – would not change our medical advice:

1. If a person is positive for the antibodies (meaning it appears he/she has likely had the infection), we cannot ensure that person has substantial immunity from catching COVID-19 again. In this case, we would still advise taking protective measures, such as wearing a mask and social distancing, to avoid contracting the infection again.
2. If a person is negative for the antibodies (meaning that he/she does not appear to have had the COVID-19 infection), our advice would be the same: practice recommended safety guidelines to avoid contracting the infection.

Of course, the COVID-19 situation is rapidly changing. We will continue to monitor guidelines for antibody testing, and respond appropriately.

Please be sure to visit reliantmedicalgroup.org for updates, and we encourage you to rely on cdc.gov for the latest information about the Coronavirus outbreak.