A positive covid-19 antibody test does not necessarily mean that you cannot get infected with covid-19.
Since the catastrophe ran havoc globally, most people have developed a habit of getting tested for covid-19 antibodies whenever they experience mild sickness or specific symptoms similar to those depicted when a patient is coronavirus positive.
But what exactly is covid-19 antibody testing? What does the test entail? How reliable can the covid-19 antibody test be? Here is all you need to know about a covid-19 Antibody test and, most importantly, what it means when the test turns out positive.
What is an antibody test?
The antibody test is a blood test that assesses the body’s response to particular health conditions through finger pricking (blood drawing).
To make things clearer, the covid-19 antibody test differs from the covid-19 diagnostic test. While the covid-19 diagnostic test utilizes saliva or nasal swabs to detect active/current infections, the antibody test tells whether you have had an earlier infection, but it can’t state if you have an active infection.
Please note that although antibodies can protect you from future infections, they are not 100% assurance of complete immunity.
How reliable is covid-19 antibody testing?
The antibody test, also referred to as the “serology test,” tests the blood to determine the immune system’s response to infections.
The antibody test has become a norm for testing for covid-19. However, it’s yet to be proved whether the antibodies generated by the body can protect you from chances of future infections. But the fact is that the presence of these antibodies (a positive antibody test) indicates that you had a previous infection of the virus, even if you didn’t depict noticeable symptoms.
Though antibody testing is not widely used for home and travel testing, it plays a significant role in strategy surveillance as it can show where the virus has been and the rate at which it’s spreading.
Does possessing coronavirus antibodies mean that you’re covid-19 immune?
According to current data, having coronavirus antibodies only proves that you hold an immune response to the coronavirus (not specifically covid-19). The presence of antibodies could also mean that you are resistant to SAR-COV-2 (the virus responsible for covid-19). However, please note that this has not yet been scientifically proven since the virus is still very new.
It’s also not scientifically proven whether or not a person is completely immune after getting a positive covid-19 Antibody test. The chances are that you can still be exposed to new infections. But it’s important to note that once you have a positive antibody test for covid-19, you can be counted as temporary immune.
The bottom line on What Does a Positive Antibody Test for Covid-19 Mean
Once you test positive for covid-19 antibodies, it means that you’re possibly immune to the virus. This immunity, however, will last for several months or much longer.
It’s vital to note that medical experts insist that it’s not yet clear what precisely a positive antibody test means up to this stage. To be true, it doesn’t guarantee 100% immunity to covid-19, meaning you can’t assume protection from the virus or assume that you don’t hold the risk of infecting others.
Experts are still studying and trying to understand the covid-19 antibody testing. Meanwhile, you are strongly advised to observe and adhere to all the coronavirus prevention measures to stay protected and curb a new wave of infection.
The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.
