Key points from article :
Antibody tests detect the presence of viral RNA in, for example, fluid from a patient’s nose or throat.
antibody tests can give results in less than 30 minutes with prices around £8 a sample.
An ideal antibody test is like Cinderella’s glass slipper—only one foot will fit.
If the specific antibodies that target the SARS-CoV-2 virus are present in the blood sample, they will attach to the viral antigens on the plate.
Quality of antibody tests for covid-19 vary in quality, but several offer sensitivity and specificity near to or even at 100%.
Researchers from the University of Oxford found self-testing kits to be insufficiently accurate
The lower the sensitivity, the higher the likelihood of false negative results.
‘If you’ve got antibodies, you’re immune,’” Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology.
It’s possible that merely having antibodies isn’t enough to prevent reinfection by the virus.
