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Shepherd’s Hope and Medek Health Providing Free COVID-19 Antibody Testing

Local groups partner to provide crucial first step in testing at Shepherd’s Hope West Orange Health Center September 23

For Immediate Release | September 21, 2020 (Orlando, FL) – As our region looks for ways to continue keeping the spread of COVID-19 under control, two local organizations are teaming up to bring free antibody tests in West Orange County.

On September 23, Shepherd’s Hope and Medek Health will be providing free COVID-19 antibody tests for uninsured and under-insured men, women and children on Wednesday, September 23 from 9 am - 2 pm.

At the event, people wanting a test will pull up to the front entrance of Shepherd’s Hope West Orange Health Center at 455 9th Street, Winter Garden, Florida 34787.

A registered nurse will administer the tests and provide results via text message within just a few minutes. It is estimated up to 300 tests will be available.

“This free testing will inform people if they have possibly had or currently have COVID-19, and often provide comfort for an individual who might have thought they had this disease,” said Abby Rice, Shepherd’s Hope VP of Operations. “The people in our community do not have access to testing as much as others do and by providing these tests we can not only show who may have had COVID-19, but also may catch an active COVID-19 infection.”

Medek Health has worked with organizations around the country to provide FDA-EUA-authorized COVID-19 antibody test kits. With a drop of blood, the antibody tests determine if any of the two main COVID-19 antibodies are present.

Medek’s antibody test kits have proven to be among the most accurate of tests and should be an essential part of any testing regimen.

For the company, this is a way of giving back to the community and showcasing how antibody tests can be used as an effective way to provide surveillance for COVID-19 in organizations.

“Shepherd’s Hope has been a leader in providing healthcare services to a population that is often missed by our healthcare infrastructure,” says Stan Van Meter, CEO, Medek Health. “As large organizations use our test kits throughout the country, we believed partnering with Shepherd’s Hope was a great opportunity to help fight COVID-19”

Shepherd’s Hope is working to expand its free medical services to address increased demand. “We will be the community’s resource for these services for uninsured and under-insured people,” said Pam Gould, CEO and President. “The pandemic and economic downturn continue to escalate the number of people who cannot afford healthcare. Our services will help ensure they have access to healthcare for medical and specialty treatment, preventive care and pandemic-related issues,” she said.

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NOTE: Shepherd’s Hope CEO & President Pam Gould and Medek Health’s CEO Stan Van Meter will be on-site September 23, available for interview and facility tour.

Press Contacts: Shepherd’s Hope | Abby Bricker | 419.341.1763 | abby.bricker@shepherdshope.org and Medek Health I Alan Byrd I 407.415.8470 I Alan@byrdconnectons.com

About Shepherd’s Hope | Shepherd’s Hope provides free primary care and specialty care medical services, education and wellness programs to uninsured and underinsured men, women and children in Central Florida. The non-profit organization has provided over 300,000 free patient visits and services since 1997. In 2019, Shepherd’s Hope provides more than 20,000 free patient visits and medical services annually. This care is possible thanks to partnerships with 3,000 licensed medical and general volunteers, three community hospital systems, 100 diagnostic/secondary providers and numerous multi-faith partners. Patients are served at its five Central Florida service facilities in Longwood, East Orlando, Downtown Orlando, Ocoee and Winter Garden. 95 percent of donations directly support patient services. Details: 407.876.6699; www.shepherdshope.org

Medek Health is a company that believes in the mission of bringing affordable healthcare access to every corner of the United States. Founded in 2018, Medek leverages decades of software experience and fresh ideas to change the face of healthcare. The team behind Medek is responsible for a number of other Internet of Things software products helping to improve efficiency across businesses. www.MedekHealth.com.