COVID-19 Antibody Testing

According to the CDC, one of the main reasons COVID-19 has been transmitted so easily and quickly is because it is being spread by individuals who aren’t aware they even have the virus. These are known as asymptomatic cases. Unfortunately, the virus can be spread person-to-person through small droplets that are released from the mouth when someone speaks. Therefore, it is difficult to pinpoint how many cases of coronavirus there really are in the U.S. specifically as we do not have blanket testing available as of now. At this time, the available COVID-19 antibody test can help. The test itself involves examining a small sample of someone’s blood to detect proteins in the immune system (known as antibodies).

SARS-CoV-2 Serology (COVID-19) Antibody (IgG), Immunoassay – Detection IgG antibodies may indicate exposure to SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). It usually takes at least 10 days after symptom onset for IgG to reach detectable levels. An IgG positive result may suggest an immune response to primary infection with SARS-CoV-2, but the relationship between IgG positivity and immunity to SARS-CoV-2 has not yet been firmly established.  Antibody tests have not been shown to definitively diagnose or exclude SARS-CoV-2 infection. Positive results could also be due to past or present infection with non-SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus strains, such as coronavirus HKU1, NL63, OC43, or 229E. Diagnosis of COVID-19 is made by detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA by molecular testing methods, consistent with a patient’s clinical findings.   Thus, at this time the results of this test with findings of and presence of these antibodies can be an indication that the person has had the virus and since recovered.