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What is a COVID-19 antibody test and why did you ask me to take one?

Antibodies are made by the immune system to fight infection. A COVID-19 antibody blood test will identify whether you may have had COVID-19. We will use the result of the test to help us better understand how many 1970 British Cohort Study participants may have been infected with the virus which causes COVID-19, whether they […]

Can I still take part?

The deadline for signing up to take part in our COVID-19 antibody testing project has now passed. Thank you to everyone who agreed to take part.

Who was invited to take the antibody test?

We invited those who took part in at least one of our three recent COVID-19 surveys to take an antibody test. Other research studies in the UK also asked their participants to complete the same antibody test. Analysing the information from the 1970 British Cohort Study, alongside these other studies, will give us a better […]

How accurate is the test?

The antibody test will be conducted in a research lab, and not an NHS clinical-grade lab and is not 100% accurate or reliable at an individual level. The results show whether or not you have COVID-19 antibodies but cannot give a completely reliable individual diagnosis of whether you have had the virus. It is not […]

Can I reuse the test kit?

No, do not attempt to reuse the test. It is a single-use disposable device which is not intended for multiple uses.

My result came back as ‘not clearly detectable’. What does this mean?

This means your blood test did not show a clearly detectable level of certain antibodies against COVID-19 infection. This could be because: – You have not been exposed to COVID-19. – Antibody status (both the level of the antibodies and the type of antibodies) changes over time from the point of infection, and so antibody […]

My result came back as ‘clearly detectable’. What does this mean?

Your blood test showed a clearly detectable level of antibodies against the virus responsible for COVID-19. This means that you may have had or been exposed to COVID-19 in the past and your body has created antibodies. Please be aware this antibody test is being carried out for research purposes only and cannot be used […]

My result came back as ‘clearly detectable’ after having a COVID-19 vaccine, does this mean it’s worked and I’m protected from the virus?

A positive test result could indicate that you may have had an immune response to the vaccine and have developed antibodies. However, this antibody test is not a measure of vaccine effectiveness and it’s also important to remember that these tests aren’t 100% accurate. It is also possible that the antibodies detected may be present […]