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ANTIBODY BLOOD TEST
I have no symptoms but I work in a high risk environment or may have been exposed to people with COVID-19:
Are you a high-risk essential worker such as healthcare worker, first responder, social service employee (i.e. grocery worker), or have had exposure to individuals infected with COVID-19 but currently display no symptoms? If so, we recommend getting a blood test to detect if you have already been exposed and produced an immune response to COVID-19.
If your condition matches that described above, we
recommend the Antibody Blood Test for you.
Previous exposure to COVID-19 means you may now have some level of immunity to the virus. Understanding your immune response gives you and your doctor or healthcare provider the information to assist in making an informed decision about returning to work or activity.
How does the Antibody Blood Test work?
The Antibody Blood Test is used to test for an immune response against the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 virus) by detecting the presence of antibodies in the blood called IgM and IgG.
Upon infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, your immune system tries to fight the virus by producing blood-circulating molecules known as antibodies. By measuring the levels of IgM and IgG in the blood, it is possible to detect the stage of infection that you are currently in.
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What are IgM and IgG?
IgM is a class of antibodies that appears early after infection (as early as 3-5 days). IgM is the body’s first line of defense against a foreign antigen. IgG is another class of antibodies that appears later and gradually replaces the IgM antibodies. Usually, IgG antibodies appear in the blood circulation within 3-4 weeks after the initial infection. The presence of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgM and/or IgG antibodies in the blood of a patient is a strong indication that the patient has been infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.