What you should know about COVID-19 antibody testing
There are many unanswered questions about the coronavirus and the test for antibodies.
The first question many people have is if you test positive for the antibodies, does it mean you're immune?
A positive test does not guarantee you are immune. Doctors do not know if there is any long term immunity to the virus at this point.
Even if you test positive for antibodies, you can still spread COVID-19 to someone else.
The antibody test does not show if you still have the coronavirus, it only indicates your body is in some phase of fighting it.
To find out if you have COVID-19, you have to take a test for it with either a nasal or throat swab.
Officials said they don't know how long the antibodies will stay in someone's body.
For a normal cold virus, antibodies usually stay for a couple of months, while the Chicken Pox usually last the rest of your life.
Experts say if someone is fighting COVID-19, the plasma of those who test positive for the antibodies could be very valuable.