Health > Everything You Need to Know About Corona Virus Antibody Tests
21st May 2021
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Everything You Need to Know About Corona Virus Antibody Tests

Also known as a serology test, a coronavirus antibody test is a blood test done to detect if an individual has developed antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19. The test can also aid classify those who may have been diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus or have recovered from it. An antibody test cannot detect whether a person is presently infected with the virus. Rather, it is done to check if a person’s immunity system has responded to the COVID-19 virus. Here’s everything you need to know about the covid-19 antibody test.

Why COVID-19 Antibody Test Is Done?

The test evaluates protective proteins or antibodies in the blood. It may be done if:

•    A person had signs and symptoms of coronavirus in the past but was not tested
•   Those who were infected from COVID-19 in the past and wish to donate their plasma, the liquid portion of blood, containing antibodies that can help cure serious patients of COVID-19
•    People who are going to have a medical procedure done in a clinic or hospital, particularly if they have had a positive report for the covid test in the past

In case a child is unwell and is suspected of multisystem inflammatory syndrome for children (MIS-C), then an antibody test may be done to aid detect MIS-C.

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How is the COVID-19 Antibody Test Done?

A healthcare professional or lab technician will take a blood sample, usually through a finger prick. The blood sample is assessed to identify one or more forms of antibodies to covid-19, such as:

•    IgM antibodies that occur early in an infection
•    IgG antibodies that appear later after the person has recovered

Antibody tests can help to find out certain types of antibodies related to the coronavirus. These tests include:

Binding Antibodies

One of the most widely used tests, the Binding antibodies test checks whether a person has developed any antibodies in reaction to coronavirus infection. However, these tests do not show the efficiency of the immune system.

Neutralizing Antibodies

It is a newer and more sensitive test type that is used to spot a subgroup of antibodies that can inactivate the COVID-19 virus. Neutralizing antibodies test can be done after a person tests positive for binding antibodies. Not yet widely accessible, the test is an additional step forward in discovering how effective the antibodies are in jamming the virus to aid protect people from another coronavirus infection.

COVID-19 Antibody Test Benefits

When individual tests positive in coronavirus antibody test results but does not experience any symptoms, there is little possibility of getting the infection. However, if a person gets a negative result in the test, it does not discard the chances of present infectivity. Often, people take longer to produce antibodies, and the negative result may come due to incorrect test timing. However, an antibody test is vital for identifying people that have been infected by the virus and have got herd immunity.

One of the best benefits of the covid-19 antibody test is that it can be used to classify those who have recovered from the virus infection in recent times and now are eligible to donate blood for plasma therapy.

Corona Virus Antibody Test after Vaccine

A crucial way to stop the spread of COVID-19 is to increase testing and screening on a robust and responsive level. Testing and contact tracing are fundamental approaches to detect SARS-CoV-2 in people so that further actions or strategies can be followed to prevent the spread of the virus.

Recently, the new variants of the COVID-19 virus as well as vaccination drives have increased the curiosity level around testing for antibodies. In many people, curiosity around whether they already have antibodies, or to distinguish if the vaccine is effective, has also increased the coronavirus antibody test levels. In many cases, doctors recommend elder people to get their antibodies test done before taking the second dose of the vaccine. Experts also suggest that covid-19 antibody tests can be integrated as a critical part of a widespread approach to dipping transmission.

With vaccination, antibody tests demands are growing

The effects of vaccines are slower as compared to medicines as vaccines take more time to create a response or give tolerable immunity to a person. Thus, it is natural for people to think and concern about whether the vaccine is effective like it is meant to be or not.

The terrifying mutations and rise of COVID variants have also alert people wishing to protect themselves. They want to know whether they have the required immunity or not. COVID-19 antibody test works as an imitative of infection-driven immunity, thus they are highly in demand right now, especially among people who have received their vaccine doses, and they want to check if they have attained the vaccination effects or not.

Corona Virus Antibody Test Results

Results of coronavirus antibody tests specify the number of people who got infected from the COVID-19 virus and recovered. Test results could be:

Positive

A positive test result means that the person has coronavirus antibodies in their blood, signifying earlier infection. In some cases, the coronavirus antibody test result can show a positive report even the person has never had any signs and symptoms of COVID-19. There are chances of false-positive test results, due to poor test quality or any other reason.

Negative

If the coronavirus antibody test shows negative results, it means that the person has no antibodies, signifying that he was not infected with the coronavirus in the past. Since it takes some time for antibodies to grow, false-negative test reports may occur in case the blood sample is taken just after the infection happened.

COVID-19 Antibody Test Cost

At present, the facilities of covid-19 antibody tests are available at reasonable costs in many pathology labs all over the country. However, these tests can be done at home too by using a covid-19 antibody test kit. It is vital to get brief consultation with the doctor to understand the correct process.

Emoha provides all the essential services required for senior citizens to live a safe and comfortable life at home. From daily care to emergency support, remote health monitoring, critical care services, and comprehensive COVID support – we take care of all their needs because for us, it is always #EldersFirst