Antibodies (also called immunoglobulins) are proteins made by the immune system. Their job is to recognize and get rid of germs. They're made after a person has been infected by a germ, or has been vaccinated against that germ. Usually, antibodies stay in our bodies in case we have to fight the same germ again.
Antibody testing lets doctors look for antibodies in blood.
An antibody blood test for coronavirus (COVID-19) uses a small blood sample. Sometimes the test can be done with a "fingerstick," using a tiny needle (or lancet) to collect the blood from a fingertip.
Experts are still studying how to use antibody testing during the pandemic. For now, it seems that only people participating in research studies should get these tests. Sometimes doctors will check for antibodies in a specific situation (such as when a child is in the hospital with MIS-C).
Antibody testing isn't recommended for most people because:
So antibody test results aren’t a useful way to see if a person is immune to the virus, or to see if the vaccine is still working. When a test result is not helpful, there's usually no reason to do it.
Talk to your doctor to see if antibody testing for coronavirus (COVID-19) is right for you or your children.
Check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) websites for information about testing and other updates on coronavirus.
Reviewed by: Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, MD, Melanie L. Pitone, MD
Date Reviewed: Nov 10, 2021