COVID Antibody Testing in Rockville, MD
COVID-19 antibody test is used to detect an adaptive immune response to COVID-19, indicating recent or prior infection. Visit Physicians Now Urgent Care and Walk-In Clinic for serology (antibody) testing for covid-19. Reserve your spot online! We are located at 15215 Shady Grove Road, Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20850.
Table of Contents:
Test for past infection
How to get an antibody test
If you test negative:
The Covid-19 antibody test is performed using one of these 3 tests:
Antibody blood tests, also called antibody tests, check your blood by looking for antibodies, which show if you had a previous infection with the virus. Depending on when someone was infected and the timing of the test, the test may not find antibodies in someone with a current COVID infection. Antibodies are proteins that help fight off infections. Antibody tests should not be used as the only way to diagnose someone as being currently sick with COVID.
Antibody tests are slowly becoming available through healthcare providers.
You can get your test at Physicians Now Urgent Care and Walk-In Clinic.
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Check with your healthcare provider to see if they offer antibody tests.
If you test positive:
• A positive test result shows you have antibodies that likely resulted from infection with SARS-CoV-2, or possibly a related coronavirus.
• It’s unclear if those antibodies can provide protection (immunity) against getting infected again. This means that we do not know at this time if antibodies make you immune to the virus.
• If you have no symptoms, you likely do not have an active infection and no additional follow-up is needed.
• If you have symptoms and meet other guidelines for testing, you would need another type of test called a nucleic acid test, or viral test. This test uses respiratory samples, such as a swab from inside your nose, to confirm COVID. An antibody test alone cannot tell if you definitely have COVID.
• It’s possible you might test positive for antibodies and you might not have or have ever had symptoms of COVID. This is known as having an asymptomatic infection, or an infection without symptoms.
• If you test negative for COVID antibodies, you probably did not have a previous infection that has gotten better. However, you could have a current infection. It’s possible you could still get sick if you have been exposed to the virus recently since antibodies don’t show up for 1 to 3 weeks after infection. This means you could still spread the virus.
• Some people may take even longer to develop antibodies, and some people may not develop antibodies.
• If you have symptoms and meet other guidelines for testing, you would need another type of test called a nucleic acid test.
• This test uses respiratory samples, such as a swab from inside your nose, to confirm COVID. An antibody test alone cannot tell if you definitely have COVID.
• These test results alone do not confirm if you are able to spread the virus that causes COVID. Know how to protect yourself and others.
Contact us if you have any questions!
Call ahead for walk-ins or book an appointment to get tested. We serve patients from Rockville MD, Travilah MD, Lone Oak MD, Colesville Park MD, Redland MD, Darnestown MD, Anscroft MD, and Wheaton-Glenmont MD.
1. Ortho Clinical developed test (VITROS Immunodiagnostic Products Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG Reagent Pack https://www.fda.gov/media/137362/download)
2. Abbott developed test (SARS-CoV-2 IgG assay https://www.fda.gov/media/137382/download )
3. Euro Immune developed test (EUROIMMUN Anti-SARS-CoV-2 ELISA (IgG) https://www.fda.gov/media/137382/download)