Have you been confused about various hospital tests since the hit of COVID-19? After you get tested for coronavirus, then after some time, you have to get another antibody testing. While these two might baffle you, we shall try to explain each and help you understand their importance and differences.
COVID-19 is a diagnostic test that checks if a person has the SARS-CoV-2, while North Hills antibody testing helps the doctor know if a patient has ever developed COVID-19. If so, he will check if the antibodies have formed after healing from the coronavirus.
The ideal time to have a serology test is after healing from COVID-19. And if you don’t want to go to a healthcare center, you can request a test kit and do it at home. You’ll find a lancet that you use to prick your finger and get some blood into a tube. Then you can send the test through a postbox for examination.
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Antibody Testing
People who want the assistance of a healthcare provider can go to North Hills antibody testing, though it will depend on availability. So, a provider will draw a small amount of blood from the patient using a syringe or pricking the finger. And he takes the blood sample to the lab for a close examination, which checks for antibodies. Antibodies are proteins developed by the immune system which helps prevents and fight virus from the system.
Why Antibody Testing is Necessary
Antibody tests help researchers learn about population-level protection of COVID-19 and how the human immune systems fight the virus. When antibody results show the presence of antibodies in your blood, it means there’s a time when you got infected with COVID-19. However, the antibodies that developed defeated the virus. It can also suggest you have immunity against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. But there is still no proof that these antibodies can protect you from COVID-19 infection. While the antibodies do not last for long in the body, it’s not clear the length of time they can stay there. So, nobody knows the level of immunity, and scientists are researching to find more about the newly developed antibodies.
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Antibody Test Results
The type of serology testing and time determines the accuracy of this test. Also, suppose you get the North Hills antibody testing when coronavirus is still in the body or when you’ve just contracted the virus. In that case, the test will not detect the developing antibodies.
If you get an antibody test soon after your vaccine against COVID-19, your result might show positive. It will depend on the type of antibody test used.
The antibody tests for SARS-CoV-2 can assess IgM or IgG to one of two viral proteins. Since COVID-19 vaccines encode the spike protein or a portion of it, a positive test for S IgM or IgG could suggest a prior infection or vaccination.
Choice of Antibody Test
Most antibody tests for SARS-CoV-2 get issued a EUA by the FDA. These are ideal for clinical and public health purposes and can be qualitative and semi-quantitative. You can find a list of these antibody tests on the FDA’s external website.
Most people prefer North Hills Urgent Care center with high sensitivity and specificity since they are more likely to reveal high positive and negative predictive values. However, a provider must administer them at least three weeks following an illness.
Antibody testing can be ideal for public, clinical, or occupational health. It helps researchers differentiate past infection from vaccination. They use tests that measure antibodies against various proteins.
In Conclusion
The ultimate goal of North Hills antibody testing is not to see if there is a presence or absence of acute COVID-19 infection. But it helps to find if a previously infected person has developed immunity. People who have tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus develop antibodies14 days after the onset of an illness. So, it’s necessary to have the serology test after this time to avoid false results.
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