Anyone else been selected to do the antibody test?

[weehoo]

I got a letter a couple of weeks ago and registered then they sent the test equipment to me in the post.

I've just done the test - ghastly flashbacks to those years of peeing on a stick!

Although in this case it's a finger-prick test

Results are negative and I'm just about to upload them to the website. Wondering if anyone else has done it and if they got a positive? I did wonder if I'd had COVID at the start of the year but it's looking unlikely (although the test doesn't tell you for certain)

Trying to explain to DD7 what I'm doing and feeling a bit sad about it!

I have friends who are BAME and a few have been invited to do the test. Two have tested positive for antibodies. One van remember thinking that her hay-fever was bad in April. They other has been completely asymptomatic.

When she's an old lady, people will interested in her story of you taking the test, just as we are with other personal accounts of historical events.

I did the test in September and was negative and slightly disappointed. I had thought I’d already had covid in March.

I received and did the test today and also commented to DH about how like a pregnancy test it felt! Tilting the test back and forward and squinting at lines .
My result was negative.

I did it a few weeks ago, I was also negative, I expected to be though. Did anyone else find it difficult to get the blood on the little dimple? I had to prick my finger twice!

I’m doing it once a month for the BioBank study - last one tomorrow. I don’t get to find out my results, though.

I did one last night. Waited the 10-15 minutes and reported it as negative. After about 25 minutes faint lines appeared.

Not sure if these are just water marks as it clearly states that the test needs to be read before 15 minutes time limit is reached.

I didn't have any problem getting the blood out. There was quite a bit and I had to use the plaster in the pack in the end.

DH has had one of these, he was in the shielding group but has been working since - in a factory. he is on immune suppressants. Not sure how that is with antibodies. Interested to know as think we had it in the spring

I’ve recently had one and need to register to take the test.

I’ll register tonight now you’ve reminded me. Will report back.

DP was selected (the imperial college survey) and yes he has the antibodies. He’s done one test June and one in September and he had them both times. He was ill in March, thought it was flu but hey ho!

I’m so jealous - I’m doing an antibody test for a different study and not only do I have to squeeze out about half a pint of blood from my finger into a tube, which takes forever, I don’t even get to know the sodding results. I want to be on your test!

Was invited to do it 2 weeks after I'd been known to have been in contact with it while in hospital (June).
I was positive for IgM and IgG antibodies. I wouldn't have known I'd had it otherwise - no symptoms.
I was sent a further test 2 months later (August) and the IgM line was fainter while the IgG line was stronger.

My understanding is that IgM antibodies are produced during an infection and IgG are the ones that should stay around longer, but goodness knows if they do.

I also had a questionnaire both times which seemed to be asking whether I'd take more risks or be less likely to follow the rules because I knew I had antibodies.
"No" to both as we've no idea how long they last or how protective they are.

Has anybody been tempted to post asking for "line eyes" about it?

Yes I did it in September was a negative result but that's what I expected.

I did mine today and it came back negative. I was like a pregnancy test, wasn’t it?!

I’m doing it as part of the Scottish study in education staff. Had to send off a small vial of blood and will get results in a week. I’ll do a test every month for the school year.

I was invited to do one by Scot gov as I work in a school. Got the rest through but not had the chance to do it toe die to specific timings of postage of sample. Didn't realise how much you need, I thought it would just be like a blood sugar test. Im not even sore I have that much blood in my hands due to raynauds

I got mine yesterday. I was shielding as ecv and haven't been ill. It didn't stop me desperately hoping to see the extra lines on the stick. Sadly it was negative.

Is this the Roche one? Wondered how accurate these are?

Please excuse all the typos- I've been out on the cold for several hours so the raynauds mentioned above has left me with brain fog and extended partially numb fingers 😆

Have two friends who’ve done it - one negative (expected, has been in minimal contact with people since this all kicked off), one positive (expected, she’s a teacher in London and was pretty ill for a week I’m March).

I did it today. Negative, as expected.

@midnightstar66 it’s pretty straightforward. I’m rubbish to get blood out of usually and I bled a lot more than I thought I would! Make sure you’re hydrated, do some light exercise and soak your hand in warm water for two minutes first. You get three lancets if the first is unsuccessful.

I do the Biobank one every month but don't get the result. I had one via work (welsh nhs) in July which was negative unfortunately as I'd hoped to have had it asymptomatically!

My oh did one today and it was negative. He had all the symptoms back in February so we thought he may have had it but I guess not.

@Tarrarra it is possible that you did. I had COVID in March, confirmed by positive antibody test in July. No antibodies detected Sept .