What is an Antibody Test?

An antibody test (also known as a serology test) screens the antibodies present in your blood that your body produces when it has battled an infection. An antibody test is not checking for the presence of a virus. An antibody test is checking to see if your immune system has responded to fighting off a disease or illness.

The COVID-19 antibody test will search for the antibodies to SARS-COV-2, which is the virus that causes COVID-19. It can detect the presence of antibodies in your blood to see if you have had the virus before and now have antibodies against it. But, this test won’t tell you if you currently have COVID-19.

If you want to find out if you have had COVID-19 and if your immune system responded to the virus, you’ll want to take this test. Just note that it cannot tell you if you’re now resistant to COVID-19, nor if you can or cannot spread the virus to other people.

In this article, we’ll talk about what antibodies are — as well as the difference between the coronavirus test and the antibody test. From there, we’ll go on to talk about how each of the tests are administered.

 

What Are Antibodies?

Antibodies are proteins made by the immune system to fight off infections. Their mission is to seek and destroy viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi.

Antibodies are tiny, Y-shaped proteins that latch on to the germ or other foreign body, then disables and eliminates it. Antibodies are part of the immune system and can recognise a pathogen and destroy it.

 

What’s The Difference Between The Coronavirus Test And An Antibody Test?

The Coronavirus test will check to see if you have the virus active inside of you at the time you’re being tested. The process is also much quicker than the antibody test.

The antibody test will detect antibodies to the COVID-19 virus to see if you have had it in the past. The test will also show if you have developed an immunity to the virus.

 

How Are The Antibody Test And The Coronavirus Test Administered?

#1. Finger Prick — Antibody Testing
The antibody test is a blood test. A technician will prick your finger to get a sample of your blood. The test can identify one or two kinds of antibodies to SARS-COV-2.

The first one happens at the beginning of the virus, and that’s the IgM antibodies. Most people have them about 14 days after symptoms start, and they usually stay in your blood after the infection has subsided.

The second antibody identified is the IgG. This one is in the blood and other bodily fluids and takes time to create protection against bacteria and viral infections.

#2. Swab — Coronavirus Testing
The coronavirus test is often conducted via a swab test (an antigen test) and can identify if COVID-19 virus is currently present in your body. It looks for signs of the virus that is active within your body. It doesn’t, however, reveal if you previously had COVID-19. With a long flexible stick, a technician will swab the inside of your nose. The results are ready in 15 minutes.

Need an Antibody Test? We Can Help!

 

Next Day Fit-to-Fly Testing

Do you need to find out if you have COVID-19 or prove that you don’t so you can travel?
At MSI Clinics, we have the next day fit-to-fly RT-PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test, which is conducted via a quick, painless throat and nose swab. Our trained healthcare professionals will collect your sample, which will then be sent to the lab for testing. This test will detect all COVID-19 variants. You’ll have the results the next day by 11pm. If your results show no sign of the virus, you’ll receive a Fit to Fly certificate.

3-Hour Fit-to-Fly Testing

Do you need rapid results because you have a plane to catch and need the Fit to Fly Certification same-day? Visit one of our clinics, and a trained healthcare professional will take your samples and send it to a laboratory for immediate testing. You’ll have the results in under 3 hours.

Rapid Antibody Test

Do you need a rapid antibody test to detect if you had COVID-19 and antibodies post-vaccination? We offer that as well. Our healthcare provider will use a lancet to collect a finger prick blood sample from you. The results will be available in 15 minutes.

Choose MSI Clinics for Your Antibody Testing Needs

At MSI Clinics, we specialise in providing all types of COVID-19 testing for individuals and organisations. We guarantee quick results seven days a week. We’re committed to helping you get to where you want to go and offer packages to suit your needs. Your safety and comfort are a priority to us and our caring professionals are highly skilled in working with individuals of all ages.

We are on the UK UKAS accredited, government listed private provider as we provide Pharmadoctor’s COVID-19 testing services. Our tests are the preferred tests for the Real-time Assessment of Community Transmission (REACT) study.

MSI Clinics has been set up to help return life to normal, in a way that is safe, by offering COVID-19 testing services to holiday makers, business travellers as well as to support employers in getting their workforce back into their offices.

Make an appointment today and get fit-to-fly certified.

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