COVID antibodies

[littlequestion]

I had an antibody test (thanks to another thread on here). It came back positive.

The email said it's likely I had COVID in the last 6 months. I actually had symptoms 15 months ago, just before the first lockdown.

In the last 6 months I've been incredibly careful about meeting people (though kids were at school when it was open), had no symptoms and had my first jab early March. I've now had both.

My question is - is it likely I would still have had antibodies from an infection early last year or is it more likely I actually somehow caught it more recently?

Have you had a vaccine? That counts as antibodies too.

the test only looks for antibodies from infection. I double jabbed but mine was negative.

I had the same test and had antibodies from infection 8 months prior. I would've thought 15 months possible.

I still have antibodies 12 months on from the original infection.

I had Covid March 2020 and have done 3 antibody tests with most recent last week and I still have them!

Do you mind me asking which test you used?

I'm on the ONS trial and will be doing tests from next week, I'm so interested to see if we've got antibodies.

It’s the original infection. Young people in particular hold onto antibodies quite nicely. I still have them 16 months on, get tested monthly at work.

I had Covid April 2020, +ve antibody test in June, -ve by Oct (am 46)

I got covid for the second time Jan 2021 (previously March 2020). Antibody test mid June was negative.

I had covid end of March 2020, positive anti body test in June 2020.. Did another one through gov.uk website a couple of weeks ago and still have them, am 48

I have the same timeline as flipity (although March one was diagnosed by asthma nurse not in hospital.) I also didn't have antibodies last time I checked!

"Being careful" doesnt really mean anything if you have kids in school. So many cases are asymptomatic so the answer is yes you probably have had it in the last 6 months but who knows...

@GentlemanBurglar

Have you had a vaccine? That counts as antibodies too.

I think many antibody tests can differentiate between antibodies due to the vaccine and antibodies due to infection.

How does one go about getting an anti-body test?

You have to buy them on line and then send to lab in the post.

@bumbleymummy

Do you mind me asking which test you used?

I'm not sure if this was aimed at me as the OP but I had the one through the gov.uk website. I managed to get it because I do the Zoe app.

Interesting that others also have antibodies from infections going back to last spring.

@lazymum99

You have to buy them on line and then send to lab in the post.

Do you have a link to a reputable website?

If you sign up to the ZOE app you can get an nhs one free.

Mumsnet thread here:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/4265587-Antibody-Tests-available-to-Zoe-App-Users

Also I was thinking of the test for antibodies after vaccine, not infection

I used zoomdoc.com. They have all the different kinds. But not cheap!

[quote CherryPlumCrow]If you sign up to the ZOE app you can get an nhs one free.

Mumsnet thread here:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/4265587-Antibody-Tests-available-to-Zoe-App-Users[/quote]
Maybe worth pointing out that Zoe is a symptom reporting research study using an app which has been running since the beginning of the pandemic.

I don’t think its primary purpose is for people to access free antibody tests.

As the info tells you. A positive result means you've had covid within the last 6 months.

A negative means you haven't had covid in the last 6 months, though many will have had covid in the first wave but too long ago for antibodies.

Interesting that others also have antibodies from infections going back to last spring

If you mean 2020 then they've had it twice but not realised it.

I know someone who works in a certain kind of institution and he says some people have tested positive 3 times

Maybe worth pointing out that Zoe is a symptom reporting research study using an app which has been running since the beginning of the pandemic.

Well they are still accepting new volunteers so 🤷‍♀️

@Flaxmeadow

Interesting that others also have antibodies from infections going back to last spring

If you mean 2020 then they've had it twice but not realised it.

I know someone who works in a certain kind of institution and he says some people have tested positive 3 times

Do you have some actual scientific evidence for this? Surely it’s perfectly possible for antibodies from the initial infection to still be present. They MAY wane, but I haven’t seen anything saying you will not have antibodies 6 months after infection?