Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

To ask if anyone has had an antibody test?

71 replies

Lex345 · 17/10/2020 07:15

I work in social care and managed an outbreak during the first wave. I was pretty unwell in March-not poorly enough to need hospital but I am 99% sure it was COVID. DH and DC also unwell at the time, but no testing was available for mild cases then. Since March, I have repeated and prolonged contact with people with confirmed COVID, personally performed swabs on all suspected cases and pillar 2 testing (which have thrown up asymptomatic positives). I am obviously fastidious with hand hygiene and always had access to the recommended PPE (but the FRSMs not N95 or FFP3s, aprons not full gowns). I live in a high incidence area, where the rates have remained high, even during summer. We have stuck to the strictest rules socialising rules apart from work and school, from September. I have had to go food shopping, always wearing a mask, cleaning trolley handles and gelling hands. Always wash hands on return.

All 3 of my children have had contact with confirmed cases (and therefore had to isolate) multiple times since returning to school, have not developed symptoms. I most recently worked in a home at the start of an outbreak where a significant number of staff and residents were infected from one staff member on the same day.

Neither DH, DC nor myself have ever received a positive swab result. I have just had my antibody test results, which was negative for antibodies.

My question-has anyone else had repeated contact with COVID and either not contracted it-or think they had it early on-and returned a negative antibody test result? I am swabbed every single week for COVID. Is it possible to have T Cell immunity (and no antibodies) or immunity from sone other disease in the past?

Or have I just been terribly lucky?

OP posts:

Casschops · 17/10/2020 08:05

OP if you Google antibody testing and government the .gov website explains th at they are offering this to social care staff. Fill out the questionnaire and they send you a text a few days later with how to order. From March time you may not have antibodies. I do and I have had no symptoms!

Ihavenoideawhatmyusernameis · 17/10/2020 08:09

Yes, I think I had it in feb-March. Was so ill and ended up in hospital but was never swabbed. Started off in feb feeling spaced out and generally unwell which then became really quite severe abdominal pain which put me in hospital with “abdominal sepsis”. While i was there I developed a really nasty cough which lasted 6 weeks after I was discharged. Also had temperature which wouldn’t go away. Has antibody test in July that was negative but I’m certain I’ve had it. My hubby and daughter were both unwell too but didn’t have abdo pain. They had the rash instead

Ihavenoideawhatmyusernameis · 17/10/2020 08:11

Sorry, just to add have had recent exposure to covid again and am currently isolating so we will see. Test result due today/tomorrw as I now have sore throat/temp

Rover83 · 17/10/2020 08:14

I work in ITU, I was really unwell mid March just before lockdown, very close to hospital admission but managed at home. I felt the worse I have ever felt couldnt breathe properly. They weren't testing unless you were admitted to hospital so I never got tested i had an antibody test in July and it was negative.

NeverTalksToStrangers · 17/10/2020 08:15

I was mildly ill in march with very unusual symptoms (prolonged temperatures, chest tightening). 99% sure it was covid. One colleague lost taste and smell, son wasn't feeling well either.

Got antibody test (through an academic study) at the start of September and tested negative. Antibodies are thought to lessen quickly though. They don't know the full extent of t cell immunity though.

Original poster

Lex345 · 17/10/2020 08:17

Hi Cass, yes I have just had my antibody test and it is negative.

Ihavenoidea, that is interesting especially when that happened-I hope you feel better soon and your test is negative x

OP posts:

Original poster

Lex345 · 17/10/2020 08:19

Nevertalks that is so similar to my symptoms in March!

OP posts:

GnomeDePlume · 17/10/2020 08:21

Yes, whole family tested, all negative including the people who had been very unwell earlier in the year with what on the face of it looked like classic covid symptoms.

Current estimate is that about 10% of the population has had covid so a lot fewer than the people who think they have had covid.

Grobagsforever · 17/10/2020 08:23

I have a school friend who DID have Covid and DID have a positive antibody test.

Rather than all those who just think they had it freaking others out about antibodies not being developed 😡

TwoCupsOfLemonTea · 17/10/2020 08:26

@Grobagsforever

I have a school friend who DID have Covid and DID have a positive antibody test.

Rather than all those who just think they had it freaking others out about antibodies not being developed 😡

Are you saying that you think lots of people assume they have had it, when it's been a different bug? ... was that the reason for the 'cross emoji'?

alpinia · 17/10/2020 08:34

My cousin and I both had Covid in March-April. We are both young, fit and healthy. We were both seriously ill. I was tested for antibodies in late June, while still under treatment as still suffering heavy symptoms. My cousin was tested for antibodies in September. Both negative.

Doctor told me not to worry as a. Antibody test not super reliable and evidence shows antibodies decreasing rapidly. B. They think other forms of resistance like T cells play a part.

So, while it is mildly concerning to think you could be vulnerable again to something that had such a big impact on your health, I don't think it's worth panicking too much. Reinfection still seems pretty rare.

Thestreets · 17/10/2020 08:41

I work in a hospital and a colleague of mine tested positive for the virus in May after becoming severely unwell and then tested negative for the antibodies in July....

Original poster

Lex345 · 17/10/2020 08:42

So sorry you and your cousin were so unwell-very interesting you didn't have antibodies, I have seen a few articles referencing T Cell immunity and I think that is what made me ask the question-I will obviously continue to behave as if I haven't had it, but it is reassuring others have had a similar experience.

OP posts:

Hobnobsandbroomstick · 17/10/2020 08:42

I was redeployed to a covid ward (nurse), had mild symptoms in April but couldn't get a swab test so just isolated for a week. Everyone at my hospital got offered an antibody test in July; I tested negative. Overall about half of my colleagues tested negative, the other half positive (we were all pretty much redeployed to covid wards).

About 22% of all the hospital staff tested positive for antibodies. A few staff who had a positive swab test in April/May tested negative for antibodies on their blood test.

I am in a research study now, and get swab test and antibody blood test every two weeks, all been negative so far.

ChasingRainbows19 · 17/10/2020 08:45

I work on a ward, had some contact with a few covid patients... negative antibodies. Haven’t been ill, had some weird I’ll feeling in April but no ‘main’ symptoms. More fatigue and headaches. Could of been stress/ anxiety at that point!

WanderingMilly · 17/10/2020 08:53

I had coronavirus in end March-April. I was really ill although not hospitalised, tried to get a test but couldn't get one. However, the illness was so classic COVID that I paid for a private, venous antibody test in May as it was my only way of checking.

It came back positive, they said I had a high number of antibodies...except that they couldn't guarantee how long they would last or what (if any) immunity they might bring.

Subsequently I have gone back to work in a school, full of coughs, cold, suspected COVID and actual COVID all around me. We deal with small children so we tend not to wear PPE and social distancing is minimal, we do have masks etc. if there is a suspect COVID case but not generally around the place otherwise.

I have picked nothing up at all despite other staff doing so. I recently had to have a hospital check over something else so had to go for a swab test first and I'm negative for COVID so haven't picked anything up at work.

I'm considering paying for another antibody test to see how long they have lasted....although I suppose it won't show up T cells I think? I know it is possible to catch coronavirus more than once and that there are different strains too, but I am really hoping that, since my body made antibodies the first time round, it will now recognise the virus and be able to deal with it if I get it again.

LadyFannyButton · 17/10/2020 08:58

Are you saying that you think lots of people assume they have had it, when it's been a different bug?

I’ve had so many people request the antibody test because they were sure they had it. I haven’t seen a single one come back as positive yet. They can’t all have had it yet not have developed antibodies so I think they’ve had a different bug.
The only positive I personally know is someone tested routinely through work who had no symptoms at all but was positive for antibodies.

white66 · 17/10/2020 08:58

I worked on a covid ED and had an antibody test routinely at work in May, I had antibodies at that point (I had never had any symptoms) I entered into a research project at my hospital and was re checked 2 months later- no antibodies detected at that point.
Apparently research is showing that females aren’t keeping antibodies as long as males

KatieB55 · 17/10/2020 08:59

I had C-19 earlier in the year & antibody test in July was negative

Ghostlyglow · 17/10/2020 09:00

Yes, I got it through work (nhs admin). I took one because I'm absolutely sure I had covid 19 in February. I had all the symptoms, even the smell /taste thing that wasn't officially a symptom then. The test was negative. I don't believe it.

Lynseylou1 · 17/10/2020 09:01

I've been working in social care for the duration of covid with no PPE going into peoples homes on an almost daily basis in the higest risk area. I had an antibody test recently and it was negative which i was amazed at really given the exposure I've had to a wide range of the public! I must be extremely lucky to have not come down with it at some point or other sice March

NooneElseIsSingingMySong · 17/10/2020 09:05

I was unwell in March, persistent cough and felt rough. My asthma became unstable. At this time only hospital patients were being swabbed so we quarantined and rode it out. My asthma was unstable for months afterwards. My antibody test was negative but I’ve seen a respiratory consultant who said it’s not that reliable in women of a child-bearing age (because of Killer T cells). She said I’m certainly recovering like a long term Covid patient....I either had Covid but didn’t develop antibodies or I had another infection that set me off. Interestingly, my Dad was offered an antibody test through the post and he was positive! We don’t know when he had it though..

Lightsabre · 17/10/2020 09:09

My respiratory consultant tested positive every week for three weeks but had no antibodies two months later and he said this was the case for several of his colleagues. Like others, I was very ill at the end of March - no community testing then but I have a clinical diagnosis after a lung ct scan and ongoing issues. No antibodies in July. There is a clinic in Germany that's testing for T cells for Covid but it's very expensive. I will be doing this as I'm also exposed via my job.

Original poster

Lex345 · 17/10/2020 09:09

Thank you for sharing all your stories, it is reassuring that I was not going bonkers in March. I suppose I will never know either way. Interesting re killer T Cells in women of child bearing age. I am 36.

OP posts:

planplan · 17/10/2020 09:11

@Casschops
I did not know this - have now registered!
I wonder how long it takes.

Flip

1 2 3