What an antibody test can tell you?
An antibody test may explain to you whether it is just you have had COVID-19 before. It also observes that your body has made antibodies to the virus or in case if these are from the vaccine.
Many people who have had the virus or the vaccine, don’t have antibodies. This means the test doesn’t work for everybody.
An antibody test doesn’t tell you-
- if you are immune to COVID-19
- if you may or may not spread the virus to other people
Getting an antibody test
The test is not available to everybody yet. You may get free antibody testing in these situations-
- If you did a PCR test for COVID-19 and you had a positive result
- If you work in social care, primary care, or in the education field
- If you are participating in research
An antibody test after a positive PCR test result
Anybody, who is booking a free PCR Chicago covid testing for COVID-19 on GOV.UK may also accept getting an antibody test.
If you accept it and your PCR test result is positive, then possibly you will be sent to 2 antibody tests to do at your home.
You will have to do the first antibody test within 6 days from when you get your positive PCR test result. You will have to do the second test about 3 weeks after the first one.
You may still have the antibody test if you have had the COVID-19 vaccine. An antibody test after a positive PCR result helps the NHS, in learning-
- How likely people are to get COVID-19 again
- how the body’s immune system give response to the virus or vaccine
Find out more about antibody testing and what your test result means on GOV.UK
How does an antibody test work?
The test examines the antibodies in your blood.
Your body makes antibodies when you get infected. They also help in fighting the infection.
If you have COVID-19 antibodies in your blood, it’s just like before you have had the virus or had the COVID-19 vaccine.
It is not common if you are having antibodies that prevent you from getting infected again.
What does an antibody test involve?
You will have to do the test at home.
You will get the test kit, So carefully Read the instructions in the test kit.
You will have to peirce your fingertip by using a device known as a lancet and press some blood in a tube. You may get somebody for your help if you are nervous about doing the test unless you are self-isolating. You will have to post your full test kit in a Royal Mail priority postbox.
Learn About the Test
This test examines for antibodies to COVID-19. If you have been unprotected to COVID-19 or vaccinated, your body makes antibodies as your unaffected response part. The test gives a numerical value that shows you may have antibodies to COVID-19 or not.
If you have been exposed to the virus that may cause COVID-19, your body hardly makes antibodies as an immune response part to the virus.
It may take two weeks after exposure to establish antibodies.
This COVID-19 semi-quantitative test is for those persons who think that they have had COVID-19 and don’t have symptoms recently.
