I think antibodies testing is doing it wrong

[IsHeLyingAgain]

I found an article saying that the rash should be added to the list of covid symptoms. I suddenly developed a rash a month ago, horrendous itchy thing. I NEVER have skin rashes. Never! Yet when I phoned my practice I was told to come and was checked by the doctor. I just tried to get an antibodies test and I can't! May I add I work in a major supermarket, I see hundreds of people a day!

Do you mean a covid test?

You can get antibody tests at many pharmacies. It's active COVID tests that are hard to get.

Sorry, I completely forgot I posted in here. No, I don't mean the covid test as I don't have the rash anymore, it was over a month ago when I had. But I stumbled upon some articles about a covid rash after mine had cleared. I wanted to do an antibodies test but apparently people working in retail can't. Which is shocking as let's be honest, we see far more people a day than doctors /pharmacists /nurses.

Why do you want an antibody test? We think we had the virus in March, just before lockdown, and pre live Covid testing. DH was part of a random trial and had the antibody test in august, which showed he has short term and long term immunity. We are key workers. I haven’t had a test. The positive antibody test has changed nothing and we live in exactly the same way. We could get the virus again. We could carry the virus unwittingly. The only good thing is reassurance that he survived, as he was on the shielding list, but received the letter post virus (we had full symptoms with secondary infection so were pretty certain even pre-test).

How would it even help you at this point?

You can pay for one if you're that keen - superdrug do them

There’s no point unless you are suffering long Covid symptoms. I was offered one as my asthma is really bad after a bad virus in March. I declined. They aren’t reliable as many people don’t make antibodies, other parts of the immune system can kick in instead which isn’t tested. Loads of people tested positive when sick and had negative antibody tests afterwards.

Plus risk of reinfection is likely so we all need to act like we are at risk. Even if you have antibodies now they will often disappear fast.

My DBro got an employer antibody test back in summer after being ill in March. His landlord was doing major rewiring and he had to move back in with my parents for a bit - they all found the fact it was positive reassuring. (He'd strip out of his uniform at the kitchen door, put it in the washing machine and go straight in the shower).

Testing for all sell then for £39

I don't think knowing I had it would change how we live at the moment but it definitely would give me reassurance. We're in Scotland but we're not originally from the UK, all our family is a 2 day journey away. So literally only friends who could look after our kids if we're both sick. I guess that's why I'd like to know if I already had it. I'll look into buying the test but £40 is quite a lot to be honest. And on a side, if approximately 20% of people (according to the articles I read, and not some rubbish conspiracy theories ones) have a rash with covid than it should be on a list of symptoms imh