Antibody Tests available to Zoe App Users

[GiantGoose]

Just a heads up in case anyone is interested, I just registered to receive a free home Covid antibody testing kit due to being a Zoe Covid app user.
Link below
www.gov.uk/register-coronavirus-antibody-test

Isn’t it the case that no one knows if they last this long? Probably one of the things this research might answer!

Anyone found their finger really hurts after putting the blood into the tube? It took me around 15 mins to squeeze out the required amount. Finger now feels really sore and bruised.

My blood came out really quickly, less than 20s to fill the tube. I did carefully follow all the preparations - lots of water the day before and 2 glasses half an hour before. Lots of hand exercises and a nice warm water soak. Made sure I kept my hand lower than my heart. I didn't have to massage it at all and I usually have poor circulation to my fingers.

The video does suggest getting someone to help you if you can. They could do the lancet and hold your hand over the tube to collect. Assuming you have prepared properly it should be pretty quick - it's only 10-12 drops of blood to fill the tube. I had to do it alone as my husband is not good with blood, wasn't too bad and I'd do it again if asked.

@FlagsFiend you've persuaded me I might give it a try after all tomorrow. Did it hurt afterwards?

I did everything as advised on the leaflet too and still look me 15 mins. 20 seconds would have been a dream (and it took a lot more than 12 drops for me!!) 😱

I did mine 10 minutes ago and it took less than 30 seconds to get enough blood. I was well hydrated and had followed the advice to do light exercise and warm my hand. I can’t feel any soreness now, even the lancet was much less painful that I expected.

Did mine at 7, second attempt as couldn't bring myself to jab myself haha. Took ages for me and dried up pretty quick but managed to get the min 400 so hopefully it will be OK. Did anyone else's blood/fluid not mix together in the tube? Mine looked like it stayed separate even though I followed instructions..

Mine stayed separate in the vial, I got a positive result for antibodies so it worked fine.

My finger was a little sore after I removed the plaster for a day or two. Still a bit tender if I press on it even a few days later.

I received my text this morning, so won't do my test until next week. As far as I know I haven't had Covid. Doesn't look easy to get the blood, but good to know others have succeeded

I pressed down hard with the lancet device onto the outside edge of my ring finger before firing it with my thumb. It gave excellent blood flow - big drops every couple of seconds, took a while to stop it... (Maybe pressing down hard was the reason why)

Oh goodness, I ordered my kit today but assumed it would just be a drop of blood! 😳

Thankyou @FlagsFiend

My family are in the ONS test group and also signed up to Zoe and a UCL research study.

The ONS study seemed to run out of phlebotomists here around Easter time. We had no antibodies 10 days after our first jab (and then, annoyingly, nobody could visit for two months). I am not sure whether that was just a local problem or more widespread.

UCL wanted to start testing for antibodies so I volunteered us for that too and sent off our samples this week. That one distinguishes between vaccine and disease acquired antibodies (I just have the former).

I'm sure I will be less cackhanded next time!

What finger did everyone use? I'm guessing the non dominant hand?

My kit has arrived but I'm just ignoring it. I did a finger prick test a few weeks ago for something else and it went fine - took about a minute to collect the right amount. Did end up with a very sore, bruised finger though. Those lancets are brutal. I have a device (diabetes testing) that I'm tempted to use instead as it's painless and you can set the needle to different depths of 'jab'.

Could you just sterilise your own pin or needle so you can control the depth better?

@MadeForThis

What finger did everyone use? I'm guessing the non dominant hand?

UCL recommended the ring finger of your non-dominant hand. Obviously I ignored that!

I realise I use my middle finger quite a bit to carry mugs/type/open jars/hold my phone. I'll attempt the outer edge next month, or further down, away from the tip.

I put the vial on a set of kitchen steps so arm was almost straight down. I then had to walk around with my hand up for some time. Drink loads, jump about a bit and warm your hand in a bowl of water and it ought be easy.

Good luck!

I registered late last night and got my invitation text this morning.

my kit arrived this morning so I am going to do it this afternoon, as long as I can get to the priority post box by 4.30 ,as they say don't post it on a Saturday.

How long does it take for the results? i know they say 3-4 days, but they said that for the initial text too, and it was the next morning!

I wonder if the tests they are sending out these days distinguish between disease and vaccine antibodies? I know the initial ones didn't, and it says that on the website, but with most people having had the vaccine now, I wonder if that's changed, and it just hasn't been updated on the site yet.

All done, only took a couple of minutes, but I had to use two lancets on two different fingers, so I hope it works OK - one finger just dried up before I could get enough blood into the tube (it seemed to go everywhere but there!). I used non-dominant ring finger first, then middle finger. I had the purple lancets (if you watch the video, there are two types possible). They weren't too bad.

OP thank you for starting this thread. I didn't know about this!
I filled in the online request morning and got a text straightaway for placing the order. Test arrived today around 6PM (very late postman!).
Naturally I didn't read everything on the instructions sheet just got on with it. The test tube is not that big, I hope this will reassure some other people.
I used forefinger first and that was enough for 2/3 of requirement, then ring finger and topped up to 400 before it stopped bleeding.
The blood didn't mix with the substance at the bottom of the tube however much I shook it.
Posted the lot tonight around 8PM but I don't actually know the collection deadline from the priority box so I'll wait and see what happens.
The process was easy and quick . Needle not painful. If it helps with research, it's well worth doing it!

Did you read the instruction bit that says not to do it or post it on Saturday? I hope your priority box has a late collection - mine was at 4.30. If they don't get it in time, you might have to do it again (but it says you can ask for a new kit).

I was also interested in the instruction that said don't post it if it's more than 25 degree out, because we might have some warm days forecast! I hope it doesn't sit around in a royal mail truck heating up over 25 degrees for a while.

I hope it's a result that includes numbers of antibodies, not just yes/no, and even better, if it splits it into those just from the vaccine (spike only) or those from the whole virus. Mostly just because i'm interested! But I don't suppose the study needs to know which we have now that we're all vaccinated practically so it'll probably just be a yes/no answer.

Oh shit I missed the bit about not to post Saturday, I’ve just done mine ready to drop tomorrow 🙈 not convinced it was any good anyway, didn’t manage to get enough blood in I don’t think, it went everywhere but where it was supposed to be and my body doesn’t give it up easily, so I have very sore fingers! (I can’t give blood and have to have a child sized needle for blood tests because it just doesn’t come out).

Oh what a shame, after all that effort.

You can get a new kit, and try using the other hand. You don't have to get to the 600 mark - it says on the video that the 400 is enough, if that's all you get.

I found it hard to get it in the tube - went everywhere else - but the video said to kind of let it run down the inner edge of the tube, and I found that easier than actually getting it to drop in with drops.

Some priority post boxes collect on Saturday and Sunday (my second closest did), if you use one of those it would probably be fine. Check on the royal mail website.