Antibody testing thread 2

[Egghead68]

Thread for people thinking about, doing, or awaiting results of COVID-19 antibody tests.

How do I get one of these tests?

Do you guys know if they have to issue a refund now if you've paid for the test but it hasn't been used yet? The company I bought it from insist they have to receive the test kit back unopened to refund. I tried to do it but couldn't collect the sample and was waiting for more lancet when the recall came in. Can they legally deny me a refund?

@findingschools4myboys it seems very unlikely that your two eldest haven’t had it, given they had symptoms and the rest of the household had it.

Well my husband just got a negative back from blue horizons but we were expecting that after reading this thread

I got a negative back yesterday using the Abbott test from London medical laboratories (privatecoronavirustest.com). I’m a bit suspicious as my husband had contact with a confirmed case and subsequently had symptoms which I then passed to the rest of The household.

That's good news for you, @HappyLemonSadLemon - well, you know what I mean, a relief to know!

Seems like the negatives are not to be trusted from anecdote on here. I wonder when the Roche test will be widely available? Probably too late for all of us.

I am also curious to know if the Roche test would ever be available privately? I know we won't fall into the NHS free roll out anyway, so the only way would be privately,

@user34254356 if I remember correctly supposedly the government have bought 100 million Roche and Abbott tests so I guess they are planning to make them available on the NHS to everyone. Let’s hope this doesn’t fall through like so many of their other plans.

@Egghead68 exactly. We have heard a lot of talk but not a lot materialising. I hope we do eventually get access to it.

Thriva have offered me a refund as they hadn’t even despatched my test before the pause in lab testing came into force.

I am sure I had it in February (maddening cough and lost voice and sense of taste). My antibodies will be long gone before I get an NHS test!

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/30/could-nearly-half-of-those-with-covid-19-have-no-idea-they-are-infected

I know this is only one person, but it is very interesting that there were no antibodies present in a person with a positive PCR test (similar that has happened to a few people in the Reddit thread).

"...Repeated tests, done every five days, showed that Raje remained infected for the same length of time, all while remaining completely asymptomatic. In some ways it is unsurprising that the virus persisted in her body for so long, given that it appears her body did not even mount a detectable immune response against the infection.
When they both took an antibody test earlier this month, Raje’s husband showed a high level of antibodies to the virus, while Raje appeared to have no response at all..."

Which kind of fits with the idea of more severe illness (ie hospitalisation) = antibodies. So does that mean that our family could have had it mildly? I guess we will never know!

Thank you for posting @Oaksideboard. Interesting.

I got my results back from my Superdrug test yesterday which was negative. I had pneumonia at the end of January and was really sick for weeks. I was convinced I had it due to symptoms, xrays on lungs etc

Reply from Treated when I asked if I could return an unused test.

"Due to what the government have said we are no longer supplying test kits however If you have already ordered and gained the test kit off of us you can send off the test kit with your blood sample and the test will be carried out like normal by the lab and you will still receive a result."

Has anyone successfully had a refund from an unused test? I've lost faith in the accuracy.

Avoid Blue Horizon, posted back 22/05/20 9am no result, - no answer to calls or emails - it's a con - £99 stolen - will open a dispute with my bank

@cassellflaw. My experience with them was not good either. I eventually got my report after hassling them repeatedly and demanding a refund if they couldn’t produce it. They tried saying it was nothing to do with them as it was a matter for the third party lab now!

It seems lots feel same as I do: I've had a negative result from Abbott but not convinced either way that result is accurate. I will be trying a test via drawing of blood rather than finger prick test.

I’ve got my blood draw tomorrow but I suspect I don’t/no longer have IgG antibodies (day 72). The result is not going to change my belief that I have/had Covid.

If the NHS does test everyone using Roche, will they then periodically retest those who were negative? How would you know if you got it later on and had no symptoms and therefore never had a do I have it right now test?

Just watched a video from that scientist Prof Karil Sikora who said lots of us might have basic immunity from the common cold corona viruses and our body can fight it with just t-cells and not antibodies. Lots of people not getting antibodies even when officially diagnosed with covid. He’s hoping that a better test for the t-cells will be much more reliable and useful.

@NaturalBlondeYeahRight. Thank you - that’s interesting. Are you able to link to the video please?

twitter.com/profkarolsikora/status/1263810622430511106?s=21

Thank you @NaturalBlondeYeahRight this is really interesting.

I've just received a negative result from an Abbott test taken at a clinic. I started showing typical covid symptoms at the end of February and haven't recovered yet.

I keep being told different dates for my dispatched test. It still hasn't arrived. I feel that I'm being fobbed off continuously.

Thank you very much @NaturalBlondeYeahRight. I am going to share that video with others - very interesting.