As antibody testing becomes more utilised, the idea of a false sense of immunity is a growing concern.

It is important to keep in mind that, as of this writing, there is no evidence that suggests the presence of SARS-CoV2 antibodies (positive antibody tests) create immunity to COVID-19. Everyone in our community, regardless of antibody test results, should continue to practice safe social distancing and excellent hand washing, cough and sneezing etiquette as recommended by the Dept of Health / HSE. The antibody test should not be used to determine if it is safe to travel or visit people with high health risks. Changing behavior by relaxing safety measures will result in increased risk of community transmission.

We will contact you to arrange a time and location that suits you for the test. We will send you a questionnaire in advance asking you a number of Covid-19 Screening questions for each person to be tested.

No test is 100% accurate. It is important to discuss the results with your healthcare provider to be sure you understand what the results mean and how they affect you and those around you.

The test we are using has the following accuracy:

IgG      IgM

Sensitivity      >99.9%    91.8%

Specificity        99.5%     99.2%

Accuracy          99.6%     97.6%

Only the person tested will receive the results, unless it's a child where the parents will get the results.

No record of the result will be kept by Venturesafe.

The test involves cleaning of your finger with an alcohol wipe and allowing it to dry.

A small sterile and disposable lancet will be used to make a finger prick.

A small sterile and disposable plastic tube will be used to take a drop of blood.

That drop of blood and some buffer solution are placed onto the test cassette and 10 mins later you will have a test result.

Negative - If you test negative for Covid-19 antibodies, it could mean that you have never been infected with Covid-19. But it could also mean that you were infected previously and produced antibodies but lost them over time, that you were infected and your immune system didn’t make antibodies or didn’t make enough to be detected, or that you are currently infected but your body hasn’t started to make antibodies yet.

Positive - 3 possible options.

IgG and IgM - The result is positive for IgG & IgM antibodies.

IgG - The result is positive for SARS-COV-2 virus specific-IgG and is probably indicative of secondary SARS-COV-2 infection.

IgM- The result is positive for SARS-COV-2 virus specific IgM antibodies and is indicative of primary SARS-COV-2 infection.

Invalid - Control line fails to appear. Insufficient specimen volume or incorrect procedural techniques are the most likely reasons for control line failure.

Immunoglobulin G (IgG): This is the most common antibody. It's in blood and other body fluids, and protects against bacterial and viral infections. IgG can take time to form after an infection or immunisation.

Immunoglobulin M (IgM): Found mainly in blood and lymph fluid, this is the first antibody the body makes when it fights a new infection.

The antibody test will tell if your immune system has developed IgG antibodies. This type of antibody (IgG) may produce immunity to viral infections. However, at this time, research has not shown that IgG antibodies produce immunity to COVID-19 or how long they will persist in your body. Research is underway to gain more knowledge about this novel virus.

If you have been at risk for exposure, whether you have had symptoms or not, we will not test you, you should consult with your GP. Note that it may take approximately 14 days for your body to produce measurable antibodies after exposure.

There is no age minimum for the COVID-19 antibody test.
Although children ages 6-months or older may receive the antibody test, the administration of the test is done with a simple finger prick. This may be challenging for young children so we suggest discussing the process with your child prior to requesting the test.

Antibody tests can play a critical role in the fight against COVID-19 by helping health care professionals identify individuals who may have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 virus and may have developed an immune response. In the future, this may potentially be used to help determine, together with other clinical data, whether these individuals are less susceptible to additional SARS-CoV2 infections.
Antibody test results may also aid in determining who may qualify to donate blood that can be used to manufacture convalescent plasma as a possible treatment for those who are seriously ill from COVID-19.

If you have antibodies to a virus, it means you’ve likely been exposed to components of the virus previously, such as an infection. In general, antibodies may be used by the adaptive immune system to help fight off infections, including subsequent exposures to the same infection. For some infections, the presence of antibodies specific to a germ represents effective immunity against it. However, not all antibodies are able to produce immunity, and some antibodies will diminish over time. We don’t yet know the degree, if any, to which people with SARS-CoV2 antibodies are protected from getting COVID-19 in the future. Ongoing research is looking to answer these questions.

Yes, it is important to continue social distancing and practise proper hygiene since it’s not certain that having antibodies means that you’re immune to subsequent infection from the COVID-19 virus. Furthermore, people can transmit viral particles on their hands, face, other areas of the body, and clothes, even if not infected. This can then increase the risk of infection to others.

No. In fact, research suggests there is a significant portion of the population that has antibodies to SARS-CoV2 without ever having become sick. In general, antibody production does require some form of exposure, and some people test positive for COVID-19 itself without showing any symptoms.

Due to limited data on COVID-19, there is currently no conclusive data on the levels of antibodies developed as result of a COVID-19 infection and the duration of immunity associated with these antibodies, if any. Studies to characterize antibody levels take significant time and require following patients after recovery from infection for weeks to decades. Immunity to infection must be considered at the individual and community levels. Further research is needed to determine the amount of antibodies necessary for protection against future COVID-19 infections.

As discussed above, the presence of antibodies alone does not necessarily translate to immunity against future COVID-19 infections. Protective immunity refers to having an immune response that can clear infections. However, serology (antibody) tests can provide a qualitative (yes/no) or quantitative (amount of titers/cells) readout of antibodies to a specific part of the virus.

Yes, if you have been at risk of exposure, whether you have had symptoms or not, we will evaluate you and will recommend testing for your specific situation. Note that it may take at least 14 days for your body to produce measurable antibodies after exposure.

There are currently no known medical risks related to taking the COVID-19 antibody test, beyond that typical of a blood draw. If you or your family member taking the antibody test has had issues or concerns with blood draws in the past (bruising, bleeding, fainting, etc.), please alert us prior to testing so we can recommend the best course of care.