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

I’ve done one of these tests today after reading this thread. I’ve only just realised I did it on my dominant hand by mistake - I might have made a better job of aiming the drops with the other hand! It took me a couple of minutes to get enough blood but it wasn’t too bad. I wish id looked at the blade - I assumed it would have been a needle but looking at the cut on my finger it must have been a longer blade. Only felt a pinprick though, it must have been very sharp. It was interesting that we had to send the used and unused lancets with the sample - I guess they don’t want people having blades sitting around at home with no sharps bins. I posted mine at lunchtime n what I thought was a priority postbox but they seem to have peeled the sticker off and now it just has one saying priority Saturday and Sunday. Hopefully it will have gone ok and not say around in the heat for too long!

I’m now on my fourth test and my technique has come on in leaps and bounds - when I did the first one my kitchen worktop looked like the setting for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre!

Preparation is everything. For the first one, due to insufficient preparation I ended up using three separate fingers and jabbed the tips - rookie error! If you jab slightly down the side on a less used finger it’s much less painful afterwards due to reduced contact.

My results tell me whether I have antibodies due to Covid and/or antibodies due to the vaccine. Both positive.

Just another thought for people testing this coming week.

My study's instructions asked me to avoid posting on a hot day (think it was above 25 degrees). I imagine they don't want samples getting too hot in metal boxes.

I posted mine 30 minutes before my local postbox gets "collected" in the afternoon and our results were emailed back in under 24 hours. This is for a study, so it might be a different lab/set up.

I've registered but it says you're only eligible at the moment if you work in adult social care.

You can do it is you are part of a research study like Zoe.

I'm on zoe and signed up for a kit on Wednesday evening, got accepted on Thursday and received the kit on Friday. It was hard work getting enough blood and I now have very bruised fingers! I've not had covid as far as I know but as I work in a school will be interested to see the results.

I didn't mine yesterday, I only felt small prick, didn't hurt at the time but the finger is slightly site now! As pp said it must be quite a large extremely sharp blade

I didn't have to do anything special the blood flowed out but I could only get it to the first line.

Does anyone know how quickly the results come?

I put mine into a priority box at 7.30 yesterday.

My kit arrived Friday, but I didn't get home until 10pm last night. Will test Monday morning, as I can walk past a priority box on way to work.

Just filled in the form, thanks OP!

Filled in my form yesterday and had my text this morning ✅
Test kit now ordered
Thanks @GiantGoose

I ordered my kit and it’s arrived but am not sure I dare now (wimp I know!)

What happens if you’ve been vaccinated and the results don’t show any antibodies?? That would be a bit scary too!

Mine arrived this morning. I'm a bit scared to do it now though. I don't usually have a problem with blood or needles, but stabbing myself feels a bit bleurgh!

I did this last week. I had Covid in November (positive pcr) but have no antibodies from infection. I felt a bit disappointed!

Plus I've had both jabs, but it specifically says it's testing for infection antibodies not vaccination antibodies.

Can you buy these tests privately? As it seems I don’t qualify.

I have done the test. Results came back very quickly (within 24h) and shows I still have antibodies after having had Covid in Nov last year.

I did mine yesterday. It wasn't painful, but was a bit fiddly. I'm glad I don't have to do that regularly.

I didn't watch the video but I did read the instructions carefully. I used my ring finger on my non-dominant hand, and aimed for the side rather than the fingertip.

My finger started bleeding when I told it to: the blood dripped out easily (a drop every few seconds) and I was able to fill to the 600 line. A couple of drops ended up on the outside of the rim of the tube, and when I pushed the lid on it spattered slightly on the cardboard holder 🤦‍♀️ I wiped it off but it left a faint stain.

My finger also stopped bleeding when I told it to, although I did use pressure and elevation before handing the job over to the rather underqualified plaster they provided.

Our priority postbox has a 5pm collection, so I did the test at 4pm and posted it at 4:30 so it wouldn't be sitting there through a hot afternoon.

I had suspected Covid fifteen months ago, but at that point testing was only available in hospitals and care homes. I've had both doses of the vaccine, but not sure if the antibodies from that would show up on this test.

I'm not sure I can do mine. I watched the video and nearly fainted just watching it! Someone else would have to do it to me I think.

• how do they tell you? By email? Text?

@ICanSmellSummerComing they told me by text and email

@MrsFezziwig

I’m now on my fourth test and my technique has come on in leaps and bounds - when I did the first one my kitchen worktop looked like the setting for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre!

Preparation is everything. For the first one, due to insufficient preparation I ended up using three separate fingers and jabbed the tips - rookie error! If you jab slightly down the side on a less used finger it’s much less painful afterwards due to reduced contact.

My results tell me whether I have antibodies due to Covid and/or antibodies due to the vaccine. Both positive.

Great thread my test kit is on its way! It normally takes me forever to give blood to rather apprehensive! Can I just check the comment above please? Does the kit via this link shoe both covid and vaccine antibodies? I thought it wss just the former Thanks!

I just received the result by text and email, less than 24h after posting the test.

"Thank you for doing a coronavirus (COVID-19) antibody test.
No antibodies were found in your blood sample.
This means it’s unlikely you’ve had COVID-19 in the last 6 months.
It’s important to keep following coronavirus advice.
This test only looked for antibodies from an infection, rather than antibodies made after the vaccination."

My kit arrived this morning. I've roped my mother in to do the slicing. I won't be able to and she will enjoy every minute of it

This test appears to only look for the virus-induced ones, not vaccine. I got my result as well, less than 24 hours, and I didn't have any.

It came by text and email at the same time.

I have been following this thread - registered Tuesday, code Wednesday, test received and posted back Thursday, results today:-

POSITIVE

In shock as I haven’t had any symptoms what so ever (I did last March, lost my smell before it became a symptom) but not within the past 6 months as the notification suggests!