Covid Antibody Test - GSBS Medical Trust Mumbai

A Covid Antibody Test is a test to determine whether an individual has antibodies against the Corona virus.

Note: This test cannot be used to determine whether you currently have the disease.

Why and when is it done?
Antibody testing is usually done after full recovery from COVID-19.

If test results show that you have antibodies, it indicates that you were likely infected with COVID-19 at some time in the past.
It may also mean that you have some immunity against the virus.
But there's a lack of evidence on whether having antibodies means you're protected against reinfection with COVID-19.

An important benefit of accurate antibody testing is that people who've recovered from COVID-19 may be eligible to donate plasma, a part of their blood. This plasma could be used to treat others suffering from this disease in order to boost their ability to fight the virus. Doctors refer to this convalescent plasma.

Procedure:

A health care professional takes a blood sample, usually by a finger prick or by drawing blood from a vein in the arm. Then the sample is tested to determine whether you've developed antibodies against the virus. The immune system produces these antibodies — proteins that are critical for fighting and clearing out the virus.

The timing and type of antibody test affects its accuracy. If you are undergoing the test too early in the course of infection, i.e. when the immune response is still building up in your body, the test may not detect antibodies. So kindly wait for a period of 14 days after the onset of symptoms, or a better suggestion would be to follow the doctor's advice on when to undergo the test.