Is there a way to check your Covid immunity?

[Boringlynormal]

Does anyone know of a test you can do? I know there’s an antibody test but I think it’s just a yes or no isn’t it? And antibodies not being present doesn’t mean you don’t have immunity right?

Asking as I had AZ vaccine and am mid 30s and not keen on getting my second one. I had possible Covid back in Feb ‘20 while making regular visits to hospital though wasn’t very sick (other family members were worse) so it may be I had antibodies, boosted by AZ vaccine and that’s enough. But is there a way to be sure?

To have immunity you have to have enough antibodies. So blood test.

I think you can still have immunity without antibodies - T cells or something? Maybe?

I have seen this one mentioned on MN a few times....

www.testingforall.org/product/covid-19-home-antibody-test/

Yes T cells are the other type of immunity, but there isnt a test for them.

Yes, you can get an antibody test. I did one via BioCard. You'll get a positive or negative result, but if you email them they can give you the level of antibodies, which they rank between 0.1 to 5 where 5 is the highest level. Well worth doing if you are wondering.

If you have had Covid and you've had one jab, then you will almost certainly have sky-high antibodies. People have been found to have levels of antibodies 50 times higher than people who've had both jabs but not had Covid. I'd be very surprised if you didn't have any.

“Antibody testing is not currently recommended to assess for immunity to COVID-19 following COVID-19 vaccination or to assess the need for vaccination in an unvaccinated person. Since vaccines induce antibodies to specific viral protein targets, post-vaccination serologic test results will be negative in persons without history of previous natural infection if the test used does not detect antibodies induced by the vaccine.”

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/lab/resources/antibody-tests-guidelines.html

[quote XenoBitch]I have seen this one mentioned on MN a few times....

www.testingforall.org/product/covid-19-home-antibody-test/[/quote]
Yes, I ordered this one.
Wrote a thread about it in this topic a few days ago. I cant face pricking finger and squeezing lots of drops of blood into a vial.
A poster on there suggested Superdrug.
I googled Superdrug. Looks like they might do an antibody test, at least in some stores. For me my nearest Superdrug is several miles away. Decided to visit my nearest Boots Store. They told me they dont do an antibody test, but the Boots store in the same town as Superdrug, probably do do one. I cant go there for a couple of weeks yet.

So, long story short! I will let you know how I get on after my visit. I will take a list of questions with me.

That is, let the op know.

My DSis tested +ve for Covid last week.
It was put down to the fact she's had two doses of the vaccine, by her medical boss.

The T Spot in London has developed a T cell CV immunity test at £195 cheaper than a PCR test.

privateharleystreetclinic.com/products/t-spot-covid-test

I had Covid in December, lost my taste & smell. Otherwise pretty mild. I did a Superdrug antibody test in late Jan & it came back negative for antibodies 😕 do not assume you’ll have them.. TCells, no clue. Can they even test for that?

Also the Superdrug test was a prick your finger & squeeze blood out, it was painful 🙈 I don’t bleed overly easily, blood tests are a nightmare. So I had to prick 4 fingers to get enough blood out!

Absolutely go and have the test done at Superdrug/Boots. Those at-home antibody tests are a NIGHTMARE. It all sounds so simple: prick your finger, fill the vial with your blood. If you're diabetic and used to lancets, then fine- even then though, it is a total PITA.
A) A lancet prick is painful.
B)It'll take you until Christmas to fill that vial.
I think they shouldn't even be marketing those at-home antibody kits. They are the biggest money-making scam ever. Going into Superdrug to have one done by a qualified nurse/HCA would be much better.

Try visiting a covid ward without ppe. One way to test your immunity.

HolmeH YES! I had plasters across the fingertips of both hands. So painful. I really hated it so much. The swab test for Covid itself is a total picnic on a beach in Maui by comparison. I didn't even manage to fill the antibody test's vial halfway and had to abandon the whole thing.

Try visiting a covid ward without ppe. One way to test your immunity.

Oh ok.

My DH was offered an antibodies test after he had Covid by, I think, the NHS? It was really interesting as they emailed the result back to him which had a pie chart (although I have to admit we didn't understand half of it even after using Dr Google) but it said his blood had 99.9% of antibodies which was reassuring.

I was annoyed as I wasn't asked but I believe they are more interested in men and actually asked my DH to donate blood.

I had Covid in October, donated convalescent plasma in December and was confirmed to have naturally occurring antibodies.

I am now part of the SIREN study and the blood test they did at the end of February showed I had no antibodies, so less than 6 months post infection they were gone. The study advised they don't test for antibodies from having both vaccines (presumably because they're T cell and not what they're studying).

I'd like to know too, but haven't heard of a reliable test yet.

@TheVanguardSix

Absolutely go and have the test done at Superdrug/Boots. Those at-home antibody tests are a NIGHTMARE. It all sounds so simple: prick your finger, fill the vial with your blood. If you're diabetic and used to lancets, then fine- even then though, it is a total PITA. A) A lancet prick is painful. B)It'll take you until Christmas to fill that vial. I think they shouldn't even be marketing those at-home antibody kits. They are the biggest money-making scam ever. Going into Superdrug to have one done by a qualified nurse/HCA would be much better.

Erm. I have to respectfully disagree, it does very much sound as if you just haven't got the right technique or preparation, which is understandable if it's your first time. I do tons of these finger prick fill-up-a-tube blood tests (have been doing them for home testing of various vitamins, minerals and thyroid hormone levels for several years now). My first test was a nightmare and disaster, but later I discovered helpful advice and videos of how to do it successfully, and that's worked really well for me.

1. You must be well hydrated. Drink plenty of water before hand.
2. Your hands need to be warm, do some arm swinging and jogging on the spot to speed up your circulation.
3. There's a 'sweet spot' on the finger tip (slightly down to one side) where you will bleed more easily.
4. Take your time, it will take around 10-15 mins to fill a tube unless you get a 'gusher' in which case it can be seconds.
5. The prick isn't painful unless you are unlucky enough to get a nerve ending.

At home antibody test kits are an excellent product if they are testing for the right thing. I can recommend BioCard, they test for the specific spike protein of SARS-COV-2, so cannot test positive if you've had a cold.

@WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants

I'd like to know too, but haven't heard of a reliable test yet.

Biocard. 99% accurate for detecting COV-SARS-2 antibodies.

covid19biocard.co.uk/

I haven't got shares in the company!

DH has had his first vaccine jab end of Feb. We're also part of the ONS swabbing (for COVID) AND now the blood testing (for antibodies) survey (done at the same time). His blood test came back positive for antibodies - this is from the vaccine since he is still testing negative for COVID.

@MrsFin

My DSis tested +ve for Covid last week. It was put down to the fact she's had two doses of the vaccine, by her medical boss.

Sorry, are you saying her boss thinks her positive PCR or LFT test was the result of her having had the vaccine, and not because she actually has COVID?

Yes, that's right.

Same as sansou's DP.