COVID antibody test

[Slayduggee]

I’m quite interested in getting an covid antibody test particularly one that tells you if you have antibodies from previous infection and/or vaccination.

Has anyone had this and how much did it cost?

I've been sent one for free as im part of the Zoe
Covid study.

I've not plucked up the courage to do it yet ....

My dad also got sent one as part of the vaccine trials. It seems the best way to get one at the moment is sign up to some trials

@Slayduggee

I’m quite interested in getting an covid antibody test particularly one that tells you if you have antibodies from previous infection and/or vaccination.

Has anyone had this and how much did it cost?

Remember that antibodies from infection or vaccination fade, but that does not mean that protection has gone, the immune system is far more complicated than antibodies. For most viruses the body does not retain antibodies for more than a few months, however it retains the ability to recognise the virus and produce new antibodies as required.

I had one, it was about £80 last summer.

Thriva do one that just tests for infection antibodies (same one as the government/Zoe study) for £65. Lloyds do an infection/vaccination on for £50 that gives you the actual level of antibodies.

I did the £50 Lloyds one, it was awful trying to get so much blood from my finger and then came back negative anyway!

@Mum411980 Did you get two results? I mean one for antibodies from previous infection and one for antibodies from vaccination?

I just paid £45 for one from Testing for All. It was advertised as detecting both kinds of ABS but in fact I only got one merged result.
This matters to me because I am CEV and immunosuppressed and have just had covid badly. I was expecting high levels of ABS from infection but also curious about how much I got from the vaccine.

The Zoe test is only for infection antibodies, won't detect the vaccine ones.

I already do regular tests for VirusWatch but they only give me a positive or negative not quantified,.

Got mine free from the Zoe study. Was very easy to do, but bloody hell my finger was sore for a week. The secret is to stick your hand in the hottest water you can stand for a few minutes before doing the test. That way the blood flows really well.

[quote Mum411980]@CatAlice
I know it detects the protective antibodies that your body makes to the vaccine and/or infection. I think they are called the spike. The other type which is from infection is called nucleocapsidantibodies but these don’t offer protection from what I have read, it is the spike ones that are important.[/quote]
isn't it the other way around? Anti-S are antibodies to spike protein which can be from vaccine and/or the infection but the virus is getting around those to an extent hence all the double jabbed people getting Covid, thus the N ones show you have had the infection and are likely therefore to have T Cell immunity too?

@Aposterhasnoname

Got mine free from the Zoe study. Was very easy to do, but bloody hell my finger was sore for a week. The secret is to stick your hand in the hottest water you can stand for a few minutes before doing the test. That way the blood flows really well.

Zoe is anti-N only and doesn't help those who have had vaccine without infection know if they have anti-S antibodies which OP said she wanted covid.joinzoe.com/post/antibody-tests-explained

You don't need to pay for one. Download the Zoe app then apply for one from the government website saying you're part of their trial. Takes 5 days IME.

I just wondered how long the results were taking for the government antibody tests? I got mine through Zoe and posted it on Wednesday. I did one last October and it was negative.

@Mum411980 I believ both N and S antibodies give you some protection from covid. The N ones are those produced following infection. Infection does not give you S (spike) antibodies.
There is some evidence that vaccine gives broader protection than infection, for example against variants.

I knew I had covid but suspected my vaccine antibodies were low and was annoyed that the company advertised the test as for both types of antibodies when in fact it just gave a total.

I have the Zoe app but nothing on there to invite me to test so I wondered whether they had stopped. I know it's on the government website but I thought Zoe had to invite you? Would be useful as DH and both DC think they might have had covid but as they are all double jabbed the tests I piad for are no good.