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Anytime our body fightsǴڴa virus, it leaves an indelible mark in our blood stream.This “mark” is called an antibody.
If you believe that you may have hadCOVID-19and did not get tested while you were ill, you might be a perfect candidate for an antibody test. Manymedicalinstitutionsand walk-in clinicsaround the countryarenow offering thisvitaltesttohelp reduce some uncertainty.
You might bewondering howthe antibody test isdifferentfrom theCOVID-19“swab”tests(also called a PCR test)that we heard so much about at the onset of the pandemic.A COVID-19swabtestis primarily used to detect whether you have the active infection in your body,whereas a COVID-19 antibody testchecks your blood for evidence ofpreviousinfection – antibodies are left behind and found in our bloodstream after our immune system responds to a virus.Antibodies typically show up 21 days after recovering from the virus.
Doctors and researchers do not know yet. So even with positive test results,please act as if it is possible to bereinfectedand/or spread the virus to others. Remember to:
Manyinsurance companies have waived copays and cost sharing for COVID-19-related illness and testing. Please call your insurance carrier to confirmyourcoverage.
Sensitivitytells us if the test can detect COVID-19 in people who truly were infectedwith the COVID-19 virus.In other words,the higher the sensitivity, the lower the chance of a false negative test.
Specificitytells us if the test can rule out COVID-19 in people who were never infected. The higher thespecificity, the lower the chance of a false positive test result.
For more details as well as information aboutwhy testing someone with a low risk of having had infection can lead to a greater likelihood of false positive results,.
Our antibodytesthere at ĢƵ offersboth high sensitivityandspecificityatgreater than 99%.
PCRtesting for COVID-19can determine whetheryouhave theactivevirus inyourbody.With this test, a nasal swabwill beswirled aroundyournostrilsto collect secretions thatmaycontain the virus. The swab and secretionsfrom your nasal passageare then sent for testing to find out if they containCOVID-19.
Anantibodytest on the other hand, is different both in the information it provides as well as how it is administered.For thistest,youundergo a blood draw. The blood isthenscreenedforantibodiesthat may indicate thatyourimmune systemhasrespondedto COVID-19.Theseantibodiesdo not show up right away because an antibody is only present once your immune system has fought off the virus.The ideal time to do this test is 2 to 3 weeks after you have recovered from the infection.
We are still learning a lot about COVID-19 and its antibodies,soantibody tests can come with some unknowns. For example, the antibody can take up to three weeks after illness to develop, and sometimes immunocompromised patients do not develop antibodies at all, even if they have been infected with the virus. It also is not known yet how long COVID-19 antibodies will last in the body.
Interpreting test results requires understandingnot just the sensitivity and specificity of the test, but also your own personal circumstances and recent symptoms, which can affect thecredibility of thetestresults. You will discuss these with your physician both before and after the test is resulted.
Most test results come back within 2-3 days, some can take as many as 5 days. It is important to discuss your results with your physician- consideringyour personal medical history-to better understand how you should interpret your own antibody test results.
ismore informationfrom the CDCon interpretingantibody tests.
ĢƵ’s Primary Care team–with support from the laboratory atNewYork-Presbyterian–has been running antibody tests on healthcare workers, and now that we have adequate capacity, these tests are being offered to existing patients. Our antibody test is an extremely accurate and reliable test, having beenvalidatedby the world-renowned laboratory teams at ĢƵ andColumbiaDoctors.
If you are anexistingpatientat ĢƵPrimary Care, and you have questions about antibody testing or want to know if you are a good candidate for this test, giveour departmenta call at(646)962-8000.