Tests for viral presence are used to diagnose individual cases and to allow public health authorities to trace and contain outbreaks. Covid 19 testing involves analyzing samples to assess the current or past presence of sars cov 2 the two main branches detect either the presence of the virus or of antibodies produced in response to infection. This means blood tests may cross react and deliver a false positive if a patient has been infected by one of these viruses in the past generally test results come back fairly quickly.
This can help health officials understand and fight the virus. Antibody tests can t be used to diagnose the new coronavirus covid 19 but they can tell you if you ve ever had it. I can tell you that having a positive test did not change my mindset.
The test i did showed up positive for igg antibodies these are the ones that form at least two weeks after an infection. However there is a chance a positive result means that you have antibodies from an infection with a virus from the same family of viruses called coronaviruses such as the one that causes the common cold. A positive test result shows you may have antibodies from an infection with the virus that causes covid 19.
However that does not mean you will not get sick. If you test negative for covid 19 by a viral test you probably were not infected at the time your sample was collected. If you test positive for covid 19 by a viral test know what protective steps to take if you are sick or caring for someone.
How tests find. The blood tests for covid 19 look for antibodies specific to this coronavirus which shows whether the body is producing antibodies to it or to others such as the seasonal flu. Here s what we know about covid 19 testing right now.
Depending on where you live and whether there s a surge in the number of tests administered can determine how long it ll take to get test results. Covid 19 antigen tests detect viral protein in respiratory samples but these tests are not. One type of covid 19 test detects the genetic material of the virus in a sample from the respiratory tract covid 19 serology blood tests detect antibodies produced in response to the infection.
Covid 19 is the name of the infection and illness caused by the new strain of coronavirus called sars cov 2.
