Many people have been asking us questions about antibody testing for COVID-19 so I wanted to address what I can about this testing.

Antibodies are our immune system's response to pathogens such as viruses or bacteria. When a virus first enters your system it is attacked by local cells and a response is triggered to create these antibodies. Once you develop them, the antibodies can form a quick response to the same antigen (or virus) in the future. While this is a very simple explanation (and the immune system and antibodies are incredibly complex), it serves as a high-level overview of what we are trying to test for. The problem we are having right now is that we don’t have enough data to support whether any of the available tests are accurate in diagnosing acute infections or if they are useful in fighting future infections as it relates to COVID-19. In order to do so, we need significant testing at the same time as traditional PCR testing (nasal swabs) at the time of infection.

With all of that said, we have found a lab that we feel has good data. While none of them are perfect right now they are testing more antigens and antibodies than the other options we have found. We will also be trying to work closely with them to test our patients with PCR testing at the same time. This will help them collect the data they need to submit to the FDA and validate their testing further. It is the next battle in the war against COVID-19, so stay informed through our COVID-19 blog. With improved data we can develop better testing and potential vaccines. We are all part of a wild experiment now whether we want to be or not. If you are interested in knowing if you have antibodies or are willing to pay for antibody testing to help contribute to this data we greatly appreciate it. None of the money used to pay for your testing will be profit. We charge only what the company charges and a very small amount for the significant administrative time it takes to process the testing at this scale.

If you have any more questions about the testing process or want to understand antibody testing better, please sign up for a consultation with our Los Angeles ENT experts or request a telemedicine appointment at Total Testing Solutions.

Antigens Tested by company