The coronavirus disease discovered in 2019 has confused most people on how the treatment is conducted to know whether or not one is infected. The varying results confuse us because there are varying tests done separately. The coronavirus antibodies testing is typically done to determine whether or not the disease infects a person and whether they developed antibodies in their blood. A test to diagnose COVID-19 is typically done to determine if a person is infected with the disease at the moment. If you want to know how these tests are conducted, keep reading this article.
The Requirement of An Antibody Test
- It is possible to conduct the coronavirus antibodies tests at your home.
- The test kit can be sent to you via a post, and here you will need to go through all the instructions carefully.
- After reading the instructions, you will use a lancet instrument to prick your fingertip and draw by squeezing some blood into a test tube.
- If you find it difficult to do it, you can ask a friend or relative to help you do it if you are not self-isolated.
- After you are done performing the test, you will be required to post your test in the royal mail priority box.
How the Antibody Test Work
The doctor will take little blood from the collected samples during the antibody test procedure. This test is done to detect both SARS. The coV-2 virus causes COVID-19 and the antibodies, the proteins used to fight coronavirus. Antibodies come in two separate types, which include;
- IgM antibodies. These happen early in the infection.
- igG which are the antibodies that will happen later once the disease infects you
Most people that have had coronavirus tend to develop IgG antibodies. The antibodies occur 14 days after the infection, and symptoms show. Typically, the antibodies tend to stay in the blood for a longer period. However, the new coronavirus does not know how long they intend to stay. You will require small blood samples to do an antibody test for the new coronavirus. When getting the samples, the doctor needs to do the following;
- They should wipe the skin to ensure it is clean
- Then get the vein swell up with blood. They will tire an elastic band over the site to ensure the vein swells up.
- The doctor will inject the needle into the vein, typically in the back of your hand or in the arm inside the elbow.
- The plastic elastic band will then be removed, and the needle will then be pulled out from the vein.
- Sometimes, a figure stick is used to do the antibody test. To do this, the doctor will first be required to clean the skin and then prick the tip of the finger with a lancet or a small needle to collect the blood.
When to Perform the Antibody Test and Why it is Necessary
Antibody testing is also referred to as serology testing. It is typically done once you have fully recovered from the disease. The eligibility tends to vary depending on the availability of testing kits. The doctor usually pricks the tip of your figure to collect a small sample of blood or draw blood from the vein in the arm. The sample will then be tested to see if you have developed the coronavirus antibodies or not that will fight the pandemic. Typically, the antibodies are produced by the immune system.
If the tests did show that you have the antibodies, it shows that at the same point that you were infected with COVID-19. This indicates that you have immunity to the virus. But there is not enough evidence to show that antibodies will shield you from contracting the virus again.
We also do not know the level of immunity and how long it will last in your blood. But hopefully, the ongoing research will eventually reveal this. When doing an antibody test, the timing and type of test typically affect how accurate the test will be.
If the test is done too early in the infection, it may fail to detect the coronavirus antibodies. This is because, at this time, the immune system is still building up in the body. Therefore, the best idea will be to do the test 14 days when the symptoms have started to show up in the body.
An accurate antibody test will help you donate plasma after completely recovering from coronavirus. Doctors refer to this plasma as convalescent and can treat patients with severe diseases and help them fight the virus.
How the Antibody Testing Reduce the Spread of COVID-19
A COVID-19 diagnostic test allows you to get treatment earlier before the disease becomes serious. It also allows the health department to trace contact early and start self-isolating sooner. It helps in curbing the spread of the disease. But you need to note that not all COVID-19 tests are completely accurate. You might be having the disease, but the results still appear negative. These are referred to as false-negative results.
No matter the outlook of the situation, it is essential to follow the COVID-19 guidelines set by the centers for disease control and prevention. These measures include wearing face masks in public and maintaining social distancing until further notice. Another advantage of getting a coronavirus antibody test is that it will indicate the number of people that have been affected by the pandemic and have recovered. It also shows those that had the disease and did not show the symptoms. It will also show the number of people who developed the immunity even though it is difficult to tell how long it will last.
Final Thought
As noted, taking a test for coronavirus antibodies is essential. If you are wondering where to get your tests done, do not worry because Arleta urgent care clinic is here to help. Visiting the clinic will offer you several benefits compared to the ERs. Their services are quick if you compare them to emergency rooms that take longer to respond. Choose Arleta urgent care clinic today and get the COVID-19 antibody testing done in minutes.
