Antibody Test for Covid-19
I want to preface this post by saying that I am not a medical professional. Everything in this post is second hand information and my opinion.
Last week, I was able to get the antibody test for Covid-19. My doctor’s office had just received test kits and my doctor suggested that I come in and get tested. I had been really sick for about 4 weeks in December/January with no good explanation for why my illness wouldn’t quit. I had a fever, chest tightness, and aches. My doctor thought it could have been coronavirus and wanted to test me for the antibodies.
I went into the office, gave blood, and filled out a questionnaire (see below). The nurse told me my doctor would set up a telemedicine appointment for the next day. I was surprised that the results would be so quick, considering that the test is in high demand.
While I knew the chances weren’t in my favor - few people had so far tested positive for antibodies in my area - I figured my illness was a no brainer for coronavirus. My doctor called the next day with the results: I tested negative.
My doctor reassured me that this wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. The test they had been using wasn’t the most reliable. She was confident in the positive test results, but hesitant to rely on the negatives. A new test is coming out soon, and she wants to re-run my blood again to see if anything changes. Additionally, she said that doctors don’t know enough about the virus: whether immunity lasts, will symptoms return to cured patients, or who positive patients could have exposed.
Out of the 550 tested in my doctor’s building, only 30 had so far came back positive for antibodies. She said this is a very large number of people still at risk for the virus and suggested that it is going to be a long time until things go back to a comfortable normal. In her estimate, a vaccine may take a year and the only way for the medical field to feel more confident is if a vaccine or better treatment exist.
I learned a lot from this experience, but if I had to do over again, I’m not sure I would rush to get the antibody test. I risked getting the virus by going to the doctor and getting blood drawn. I had to pay out of pocket because insurance isn’t covering the test yet. The results could be inaccurate and there isn’t much certainty about anything. No test could tell me that I am 100% immune - which is all I really wanted to hear.
I hope you and your families are staying safe and well! Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
