By Gene Galin
Pittsboro, NC – I took a LabCorp coronavirus antibody test last Thursday morning. I got the results back on Friday evening. It was POSITIVE for SARS-CoV-2 antibody.
I guess I was one of the asymptomatic COVID-19 cases.
My wife and son tested positive for COVID-19 the Monday and Tuesday before Christmas. I got an appointment for a rapid test at the CVS on 15-501 in NE Chatham on Thursday and tested negative. However, all of us had to be in quarantine for 14 days. We had a very COVID Christmas and New Year’s Day.
My wife and son both experienced a couple of days of severe flu-like symptoms. My son recovered quickly. My wife experienced fatigue and she lost her sense of taste and smell for a couple of weeks. They are both fine now with no side effects.
The SARS-CoV-2 antibody test I took is done by a blood draw and is different from the nasal swab test, which looks for an active infection with the coronavirus/COVID-19.
The test detects coronavirus infection indirectly by measuring whether the patient’s immune system had responded to the virus by producing a specific antibody. The IgG antibodies typically are detectible in the blood 14 days or more from the beginning of an infection.
For those who are interested, you have to go in to get them to take a blood sample. This is not an “at home test.”
The cost is $43, which can be covered by your insurance. You have to have your own doctor referral or you can get one through a third-party on the LabCorp site that will cost you $10. This $10 charge is NOT covered by your insurance company.
You can sign up online to get the test. You’ll put in your address information and you will be provided with available sites near your location. You can then choose a site and make your appointment to have your blood drawn and tested.
To start go to LabCorp.com/antibody-testing site at labcorp.com/antibody-testing