COVID-19 Antibody Test

Testing blood for COVID-19 specific antibodies is key to identifying people who have been exposed to the virus and is essential for tracking exposure and controlling further viral spread and outbreaks that may occur. 

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The FDA cautions that a negative COVID-19 antibody test result cannot rule out exposure to the virus, especially in people with no symptoms, a short symptom duration, or those in the early stages of the disease (< 10 days from symptom onset). Antibodies may not develop at detectable levels until about 10 days from symptom onset2,5,6. It is also not yet known if the presence of antibodies confers immunity to a second infection7.

According to the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA)8, antibody testing may be useful for:

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• Patients with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 who didn’t receive molecular RT-PCR virus testing;

• Identification of convalescent plasma donors;

• Evaluation of vaccine responses;