Antibody Test

But at least you know where you are - I wonder about people getting a positive antibody test and then acting as though they are immune for ever.

Two family members have had the antibody test, both were negative.

DH had one which was negative and as I feel I have had the virus it was a surprise.

But Tee you could have had it - the jury is out on how long immunity lasts

DGS1 was also randomly selected and tested negative.

DD definitely had it, confirmed by her GP, still suffering from parosmia, but she had it in late January/Febuary and test came back negative, though she may well have T cell immunity.

I'd like to know how it's possible to get one.
I've never been randomly selected for anything!

A positive test for antibodies wouldn't mean I would not be sensible but I'd feel I could relax a little.

Coronavirus: Test for Covid-19 T cells immunity developed www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53764640
This is interesting about testing for t-cell immunity.
Call our entrepreneurial GP practice offers private anti body tests for £79

Ours isn't at all entrepreneurial!
In fact, they are barely coping.

They can't even do routine blood tests on time.

Callistemon

Ours isn't at all entrepreneurial!
In fact, they are barely coping.

They can't even do routine blood tests on time.

Not just your GP. Mine can't either. In fact, I don't know about doing them on time. It doesn't appear to want to do them at all.

I remain utterly shocked at the appalling stories I hear on GN about the dreadful GP services that such a lot of you are enduring. It’s completely unacceptable and I can hardly believe they are getting away with it.

If anyone wants an antibody test and is willing to pay, they’re easy to find online. Looks as though the going rate is about £99. Personally I wouldn’t because it wouldn’t affect my behaviour if it were positive because I wouldn’t know how long it would last or how immune I was.

I was randomly selected for one of these tests too. It arrived and I completed it yesterday (negative as I expected).
I thought the kit was very easy to use and the instruction leaflet very clear, but the website where I had to input the results was a bit temperamental.

suziewoozie

If anyone wants an antibody test and is willing to pay, they’re easy to find online. Looks as though the going rate is about £99. Personally I wouldn’t because it wouldn’t affect my behaviour if it were positive because I wouldn’t know how long it would last or how immune I was.

Apparently, the antibody tests aren't very accurate and not worth it at an individual level. There are too many false positives and false negatives. The value is to researchers at a population level because they can see trends.

Yes I agree grow I was shocked at our practice offering them . This particular partners entrepreneurialism is the other side of the coin to the dynamic amazing service they provide to their NHS patients - they are amazing and have been wonderful throughout CoVID.

An antibody test is useless unless you actually have the virus, or it is going to be a negative result isn't it ?

No EV an antibody test is about whether you’ve HAD the virus. You might not even know you had it. ( well that’s the theory). You’re muddling it up with the antigen test which is whether you have it at the moment.

Some of us were very ill earlier in the year but assumed it could not have been COVID and was another virus.

However, now tests have been carried out on lung tissue from a man who died on 30th January it could have been here for longer than claimed originally:
His cause of death - initially attributed to heart failure and pneumonia - has been given as COVID-19 by the county coroner after the coronavirus was found in his lungs
Sky News

Of course, it is said that antibodies may not last for more than 4 months.