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Original poster

NHS Antibody Test

24 replies

Booklover3 · 20/01/2022 23:39

Hi,

The Zoe app asked me to have an antibody test done which I did and posted yesterday. I’ve had both the first and the second AZ jabs (last one May 22). I have not yet had a booster. The results have come back today as saying positive for antibodies. It’s been about 8 months since I had the second AZ jab… does that mean I’ve potentially had asymptomatic Covid? Or am still protected by the initial jabs?

Anyone know?

OP posts:
Original poster
Booklover3 · 20/01/2022 23:42
  • I know no one can know for sure… Ive just read on here that AZ wanes quickly?
OP posts:
Tealightsandd · 20/01/2022 23:45

Regardless of antibodies, you can get reinfected particularly with omicron. And any other new strains that could come along.

Tealightsandd · 20/01/2022 23:45

So it's well worth having the booster, which reduces your risk.

LemonSwan · 20/01/2022 23:54

Hia,

I did an antibody test last week.

Last Pfizer jab March with no booster.

I do PCRs twice a week for work and daily LFTs. I have never had COVID until ironically also last week.

Tuesday - PCR ,
Wed - Antibody Test
Thursday morning - Results back from Tues PCR positive.

I rung 119 to tell them about my positive and they said that unless you had infection two weeks before the antibody test then your antibodies will have come from a previous infection or vaccine.

So I am concluding that my vaccine covered me for the 9 months.

The only way for you to know for sure is to do a full Roche Test. They can tell the difference between antibodies from the vaccine and antibodies from the virus. Its about £200 private.

Original poster
Booklover3 · 21/01/2022 00:10

@LemonSwan

Hia,

I did an antibody test last week.

Last Pfizer jab March with no booster.

I do PCRs twice a week for work and daily LFTs. I have never had COVID until ironically also last week.

Tuesday - PCR ,
Wed - Antibody Test
Thursday morning - Results back from Tues PCR positive.

I rung 119 to tell them about my positive and they said that unless you had infection two weeks before the antibody test then your antibodies will have come from a previous infection or vaccine.

So I am concluding that my vaccine covered me for the 9 months.

The only way for you to know for sure is to do a full Roche Test. They can tell the difference between antibodies from the vaccine and antibodies from the virus. Its about £200 private.

Is just like to know if I’ve had Covid… not sure the desire is strong enough to justify £200 though! Grin
OP posts:
Original poster
Booklover3 · 21/01/2022 00:10

I will have the booster in the future @Tealightsandd I was hoping to leave a bit more of a gap between them.

OP posts:
LemonSwan · 21/01/2022 00:21

Is just like to know if I’ve had Covid… not sure the desire is strong enough to justify £200 though! grin

Haha yes I know it is quite a bit!

At this stage I think it would be hard to say. 90% of positives in our work place are not showing on LFTs - and we do them everyday so know how to do them properly.

I think a large proportion of the country have probably had Omicron now and not even known.

Tealightsandd · 21/01/2022 00:41

It is quite expensive isn't it.

I understand why you feel the way you do (wanting to leave a gap). Obviously it's your choice. I would only say to not make the decision based on whether or not you've already had it. Particularly with omicron, reinfection is very possible.

thaegumathteth · 21/01/2022 01:01

Depends what type of antibody test you've had. If it was the type which is NOT affected by vaccines then yes I'd say you've had covid asymptomatic

Cookerhood · 21/01/2022 08:29

The NHS one/Zoe doesn't distinguish. Having antibodies won't necessarily stop you getting it. Antibodies don't fall off a cliff anyway, they just gradually decline.

moominmomma1234 · 21/01/2022 14:00

@Booklover3

Hi,

The Zoe app asked me to have an antibody test done which I did and posted yesterday. I’ve had both the first and the second AZ jabs (last one May 22). I have not yet had a booster. The results have come back today as saying positive for antibodies. It’s been about 8 months since I had the second AZ jab… does that mean I’ve potentially had asymptomatic Covid? Or am still protected by the initial jabs?

Anyone know?

These panodyne tests cost about £10 and they tell you if you have antibodies from infection only www.thegreenoffice.co.uk/covid-19-testing-kits/panodyne-covid-19-antibody-test-kit-cassette-type-igm-igg
Cookerhood · 21/01/2022 18:01

Is it definitely n antigen not s antigen? It seems suspiciously cheap.

Cookerhood · 21/01/2022 18:33

Antibody I mean, not antigen

Dumpypumpy · 21/01/2022 18:48

Yes it’s definitely just the n antigen and not the ones made from vaccination . I think they do a separate vaccine one but I had no need to use that test . I have used these tests a couple of weeks after my children had covid and it showed I had IgG and IgM

Dumpypumpy · 21/01/2022 18:59

Sorry shpuld explain better, I was rushing . Positive , igM antibodies showed i had a very recent covid infection (less than 3 weeks ) and positive igg antibodies showed I was developing longer term antibodies . I hope the tests are reliable . They are made by a company in Yorkshire . But yes so cheap !

Original poster
Booklover3 · 28/01/2022 20:03

Ahh thank you @Dumpypumpy I’ll give one of those a go

OP posts:
MrsFezziwig · 28/01/2022 20:10

I’m in a research study and we regularly do antibody tests. Mine distinguish between N antibodies (from infection) and S antibodies (from vaccination) - hope I’ve got that the right way round! I have both - which came as a bit of a surprise as I’ve never knowingly had Covid!

FelicityBob · 28/01/2022 20:13

Is nobody going to mention how fucking painful the antibody test was?? Shock

Cookerhood · 28/01/2022 21:03

It was a bit fiddly but not very painful

RachC2021 · 28/01/2022 21:07

@FelicityBob

Is nobody going to mention how fucking painful the antibody test was?? Shock
Wasn’t painful for me. I did bleed like a tap though!
MrsFezziwig · 28/01/2022 23:52

@FelicityBob

Is nobody going to mention how fucking painful the antibody test was?? Shock
I’ve been doing them once a month for nearly a year now voluntarily (as have many others). Now congratulating myself on my bravery!
Original poster
Booklover3 · 29/01/2022 00:37

I sometimes pay for my own private blood tests which are all done by pricking finger and gathering the blood. I didn’t find it overly painful but I did bleed for a while this time! Also had gestational diabetes when pregnant so I’m quite used to having to prick my fingers. It is crap and sometimes painful yes… but it is a blessing that I don’t have to do it three times a day anymore! That really sucked!

OP posts:
FelicityBob · 29/01/2022 07:01

It was a way bigger lancet than the ones we use at work to prick the diabetics! And was way way worse than the one they use to test your hb when giving blood. Maybe I’m a wimp haha. I also bled like a tap and was surprised

Original poster
Booklover3 · 29/01/2022 20:06

Might well be to be fair @FelicityBob. Just looked and the two fingers I used doing the test still haven’t 100% healed which is a bit odd!

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