Have you heard the recent buzz about COVID-19 antibody tests? Many states and researchers are employing this tool to more accurately measure the spread of coronavirus. We are one of the first healthcare facilities in St. George to offer this test to patients.
What are antibodies and why do we test for them?
Antibodies are Y-shaped proteins that help our bodies fight off infections. When a pathogen enters your body, antibodies attach themselves to the virus so it cannot infect cells. It also alerts other immune cells to help destroy the invader. After the infection, the antibodies remain in your body in order to protect you if the virus ever returns.
If antibodies for any given virus are present in your blood, that means that at some point you’ve been infected… even if you never experienced symptoms!
Are antibody tests used to diagnose COVID-19?
Unlike the nasal swabs, antibody tests are not diagnostic tests. They don’t tell you if you currently have an active infection. Instead, think of antibody tests as a helpful piece in a diagnostic puzzle. At the start of an infection, the body may not be producing a high enough antibody count for the test to come back positive, so we can’t use that as our only reliable source of data. The presence of antibodies, however, does indicate that you were infected at some point in the past.
Fun fact: Some hospitals are starting to successfully treat critical COVID-19 patients with antibody-filled plasma donated by recovered patients.
How does an antibody test work?
To test for COVID-19 antibodies, a provider at our clinic collects a sample of your blood. They send that sample to our lab partner, Quest Diagnostics, where technicians will test for the presence of antibodies. Lab results are sent back to you in 1-3 days.
If I test positive, does that mean I’m immune to COVID-19?
The short answer? It’s probable, but we don’t know what that immunity will look like. Not all antibodies behave the same. We have lifelong immunity against some viruses (e.g. chicken pox), and shorter immunities against others; that’s why we have to get vaccine “boosters” for pathogens like tetanus. Sometimes, viruses (like the flu) mutate, meaning we can get reinfected after a certain period of time. There simply isn’t enough data on COVID-19 right now to know how long antibodies will last or if they fully protect us from reinfection.
Why get an antibody test at Corner Clinic?
Even though we’re not sure how long immunity to COVID-19 lasts, a positive antibody test can provide some peace of mind that you likely have short-term protection against reinfection. Corner Clinic is one of the first locations in St. George to provide this testing. We work with Quest Diagnostics, one of the nation’s leading clinical laboratories, to provide high-quality testing. You can learn more in their press release here.
How do I get an antibody test at Corner Clinic?
Antibody tests in our clinic cost a fixed rate of $120. You can walk in and request a test or set up an appointment on our website.