Antibody Test in UK - for some...

[Moomin8]

Antibody tests are to be widely offered to the UK public for the first time in a new programme that aims to find out more about how much natural protection people have after getting coronavirus.

The government scheme will offer tests to thousands of adults each day.

Anyone over 18 will be able to opt in when having a PCR test from Tuesday - of those who test positive, up to 8,000 will be sent two home antibody tests.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said it would be quick and easy to take part.

The first of the finger-prick tests would have to be done as soon as possible after the positive result, so the body would not have time to generate a detectable antibody response to the infection.

The second would be taken 28 days later and measure antibodies generated in response to the infection.

The UK Health Security Agency is to run the programme and will work alongside NHS test and trace services in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to use results to monitor levels of antibodies in positive cases.

bbc.com/news/uk-58293249.amp

[snotts]

Oh, this is cool! I am going through a "covid news is too depressing to read" phase and would have missed this, thank you for sharing!

[Moomin8 in reply to snotts]

I've actually managed to nab an antibody test through the Zoe App. Hopefully it's winging it's way to me now 🤞

[Lolabridge]

It’s good news for anyone who has, or thinks they may have had Covid. Not for the rest of us who have taken great care not to get it.

[Moomin8 in reply to Lolabridge]

I agree, but there are some trials out there too - like the Zoe App.

[Lolabridge in reply to Moomin8]

Yes I agree - I report to Zoe daily. They offered me an antibody test long ago after my AZ jabs as I had reported some Covid like symptoms. I was having a flare so I knew it wasn’t Covid and so declined the test. I know that I have almost no immunity as I’m in much the same boat as Neonkittie.

I am thinking of paying to get a spike protein antibody test in a month or so, when my Rituximab is wearing off.

[Moomin8 in reply to Lolabridge]

I have Rituximab (Rixathon) too...🤷🏻‍♀️

[Lolabridge in reply to Moomin8]

😥

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Lolabridge]

Good luck re the antibodies test and I hope you get more than I had/have (but that won’t be hard 😑)x

[medway-lady]

I saw this over breakfast and think its good news and hopefully will provide a lot of information to both patients and scientists. Things now seem to be really moving fast.

[Neonkittie17 in reply to medway-lady]

Hopefully the monoclonal antibodies can be used more too for the immunosuppressed who haven’t responded well to the vaccines.

[greynot]

I've been doing them monthly through Virus Watch since March...I volunteered when they asked people who do their questionnaires, back in the new year. It was to be for 6 months so I'm guessing I've just done my last one. The info they send back is very sketchy, so I only know that I have S antibodies, from the vaccination. I don't have N antibodies from the illness. They don't tell you any more, so I've no idea how good a response I had from the vaccine, or how much antibody level drop off I have.

But it's good to know that I still have some.

[Knip in reply to greynot]

What do the N and S antibodies signify 'greynot'? It's great that you have been taking part in the study.

[greynot in reply to Knip]

This is what they tell me

N-antibodies: Not detected

Your results show that you don’t have N-antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19). This means it’s unlikely that you’ve previously been infected with SARS-CoV-2.

This doesn’t rule out current infection with SARS-CoV-2.

S-antibodies: Detected

Your results show that you have S-antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19). The presence of this type of antibody indicates that it’s likely that you’ve either previously been infected with SARS-CoV-2 or have received a COVID-19 vaccine.

This doesn’t rule out current infection with SARS-CoV-2.

Interpreting the combined antibody results

If positive for N-antibodies only

While most people who have N-antibodies also have S-antibodies (as infection usually results in the production of both), it’s also possible to only test positive for one antibody type.

If positive for S-antibodies only

If you’ve been vaccinated but not previously infected, it’s likely you will only be positive for S-antibodies as most vaccines currently in use only cause production of S-antibodies.

If negative for antibodies, but you’ve had COVID-19 or been vaccinated

Not everyone who has had COVID-19 or who has been vaccinated develops antibodies. Additionally, antibody levels can fall over time, so an antibody test might no longer detect them even if it did so before. Being negative for antibodies doesn’t mean you haven’t had COVID-19 or that you haven’t been vaccinated.

Other things to note

Future risk of infection

We don’t know enough about what having N-antibodies or S-antibodies means for future infection risk. Regardless of your result, you could still be at risk of getting COVID-19.

[Knip in reply to greynot]

Thank you greynot. You've put that very succinctly. I appreciate your reply. Take care.

[greynot in reply to Knip]

Thanks Knip. It's actually Virus Watch's wording, not mine 🙂

I'm wondering if they will extend the study, as it was just for 6 months when I signed up. Which means I've come to the end.

[Moomin8 in reply to greynot]

Wow! That's a lot to take in! If you don't mind me asking - which vaccine did you have? I had Astrazeneca.

[greynot in reply to Moomin8]

Hi Moomin8. I had AstraZeneca too

[Moomin8 in reply to greynot]

Ah, OK- thanks. I hope I have some protection. I have Rituximab, Methotrexate and Sulphasalazine...🤞

[greynot in reply to Moomin8]

I'm on 20mg methotrexate