When will shielders be able to have an antibody test?

[Tpdnotts]

Do people on here agree that an antibody test would be really helpful?! My husband has CLL and so we're therefore both shielding. I was unwell just before lockdown and still wonder if it was the big 'V'🤔. If it was then I think I'd feel a little bit better knowing I did or didn't have it, with regard to my husband. I do still walk every day (live in the countryside) and I've become very 'protective' psychologically. Basically, I just know I'd feel better having the antibody test, justifiably or not! Do others feel the same? Do they think it will be offered to us eventually? Stay safe and stay sane to all!😉

[AnnHow]

I agree that it would be useful. I wondered whether it could’ve been included in the regular blood count tests for CLL patients.

I paid for a private antibody test as my brother has CLL and I am shielding with him . You can get the Abbott one privately, and they are one of the NHS recently approved suppliers, although I haven’t seen the Roche one advertised. They are not cheap (around £99). I was pretty well expecting it to come back positive as I thought I had had symptoms, but it came back negative. Still, better to know, although antibody tests still don’t tell you if you can get the infection again or pass it on and all (even the approved ones) can return false positives.

[Tton46 in reply to AnnHow]

I’m with you! I think I had it in January/February, had no clue at the time. My husband says it’s a very good chance I could’ve with my immune system, (he’s a physician ) we spoke of me getting the test to see if I had previously had it , he said the only one to use would be Roche and even those couldn’t tell for sure. I mean there are so many sars strains they would also cause a positive test, but negative would mean negative! And positive for me would still give me peace of mind because it was so close to the outbreak when I was the most sick I’ve ever been I would believe that yes it was the wahoo virus!

[Hidden]

i'm a little confused? your shielding so you won't get exposed. Highly unlikey you would have antibodies.

[HopeME in reply to Hidden]

She was unwell some weeks prior and is wondering if she had Covid.

[AnnHow in reply to HopeME]

Yes, I had some possible symptoms earlier in the year and also just before the notice went out to shield.

[devonrr in reply to Hidden]

None can give a date for when COVID19 was in the community. Some say as early as December. I wonder if the 24 hour flu I had at the end of February was more. Now a symptom is loss of smell. An excuse to sniff at a rare expensive perfume each day!

[Poodle2]

We have all been unwell prior to lockdown and had the symptoms, especially my kids. I would like to know too so hoping the tests will become available at a reasonable price so everyone who needs it could afford it. I totally understand you. I had very mild symptoms so I'm suspecting it was a different virus but I would still like to know.

[Tpdnotts in reply to Poodle2]

It's the 'not knowing' I suppose isn't it? Maybe if I had, I'd know it had been a mild form and would feel better knowing I some immunity, whatever that amount may be..

[bennevisplace]

checkmybodyhealth.co.uk/cov...

£89 including delivery, test yourself at home.

Claimed specificity is 99.6 percent, meaning a 4 in 1,000 chance of a false positive result.

In the UK I can't see the approved tests (the other being Roche) becoming generally available through the NHS any time soon. First in line are those in the health and care sectors, then other key workers.

[Tpdnotts in reply to bennevisplace]

I certainly agree that health and frontline workers should be tested first. They've put themselves on the front line so they deserve to know...

[devonrr]

Hoping of the 30 million ordered the clinically acutely vulnerable are done after key workers so that we can regain some of our life and not be persecuted in limbo.