While UAB has the ability to perform “antibody tests” for your body’s response to coronavirus-19 (SARS-CoV-2), it is important for you to know several things:

The antibody tests are very different from the nose swab “coronavirus tests” used to diagnose patients with SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19 virus). These blood tests look for signs that your immune system has responded to the virus being present in your body (in other words, you were infected with the virus).

Antibody tests are not used to diagnose a current COVID-19 infection. They look for evidence in a patient’s bloodstream that the person was exposed to the COVID-19 virus in the past.

Abbott Laboratory makes the antibody test being used at UAB.  The test, “measures immunoglobulin G, or IgG, in your blood serum.  Antibody tests let you know if you were exposed to COVID-19 virus. The test does not tell you if you are “immune.” There is no correlation with immunity as of right now. You should not assume that once you test antibody positive that you have immunity or protection.

Negative antibody test results do not rule out active COVID-19 infection or indicate that you may be an asymptomatic carrier.

There is some degree of confidence that if you test positive you were infected with the COVID-19 virus.  It does not mean you can relax from potentially getting it again.

AT THIS TIME (5/02/2020), 1917 CLINIC IS NOT ROUTINELY PROVIDING CORONAVIRUS-19 ANTIBODY TESTING.

1917 Clinic is working with our physician researchers to identify the best testing to offer our patients.