Hi
Can anyone tell me where I can get covid-19 Antibodies test in Sydney that is bulk billed.
The Antibodies test is a finger prick blood test that will confirm if you have immunity to Covid19.
The Antibodies test also be able to tell you which covid strains immunity your body has (there are 8 strains of COVID-19)
https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-same-coronavirus-strain-…
Has Anyone Had Covid-19 Antibodies Test in Sydney
The prick sounds like it’d hurt 😦
Barely hurts. Earlier in the year I was tested for a disease the same way as the antibody test is conducted.
Piece of cake compared to the brain poking swab test up your nose at the moment.
I'm actually curious about this as well. I want to get the antibody test done to see if I've ever had covid-19 in the past.
If you did have antibodies you might not be immune for very long https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/more-evidence-sugg…
This could give you a false sense of security and put you and others at greater risk if you changed your behaviour e.g. stopped social distancing, went out more etc. Having said that I’d be interested in getting tested just out of curiosity.
You might be able to pay to get it privately but I suspect any free tests would as part of research or public health units trying to get an idea of population exposure.
I haven't had a need to do a covid test yet but it would interesting to see if I have had exposure somehow
I suspect any free tests would as part of research
This.
A friend of mine was confirmed infected in Aus back in feb (after a holiday) and they’ve been involved in a lot of antibody testing and trials from the authorities. As a result, they have been told it is very unlikely they will get it again, and in the event that they did, near impossible they would spread it further.
The TGA have otherwise prohibited antibody testing for the general public in Aus.
If anyone can prove me wrong I would love to know as I was extremely sick upon returning from a holiday in late January, but public testing wasn’t common and my GP dismissed my concern.
you might not be immune for very long
You would still be immune for around 4 months.
It seems to be similar to the flu virus.
The flu vaccine also protects you only for around 4 months.
The 'flu vaccine only protects you for around 4 months as there are many strains of the virus causing influenza. The vaccine attempts to include the best guess strains in that year's vaccine.
No, that's not correct. The effect of the vaccine fades over time.
From: https://www.healthline.com/health/cold-flu/how-long-does-flu…
Your body’s immunity to the flu decreases over time. This is true whether you’ve had a vaccination or a flu infection.
@vikvance: Yes, but it probably lasts longer than 4 months. The main reason we need flu vaccinations yearly is because the virus strains that cause the disease change every 'flu season.
True, having antibodies is better than no antibodies - presuming you didn’t get horrific symptoms to acquire them.
I think from a public health perspective authorities would be very hesitant to promote or encourage antibody testing in Australia at this time, as they wouldn’t want people thinking that they are immune and relaxing on protective behaviours. Same reason the idea of immunity passports has been warned against by WHO and many public health experts.The benefit of antibody testing would to be for authorities to better understand the virus and population exposure.
Like OP on a personal level I’d be curious to know. I think most people would be, especially if they’ve had some contact or were sick in the early days before the swab testing was easily accessible.
The studies are showing the antibodies aren’t around, for long, so the test would help the researchers but, probably, not you. There are a number of other “triggers” that might help with combating the disease but I’m not sure what you are hoping to find out from the test. Natural immunity to the disease is contentious.
I don't know about OP, but for me its to rule out COVID as one of the potential reasons for why I have been too sick to do anything months after the viral infection has past.
I would chat to your GP and see what they think. There might be some other test more suitable. If you do have COVID antibodies what do you intend to do with the info?
I'm immune
Sounds pointless. Just stay away from sick people.