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From our analysis, we found the following most relevant:If so, for how long.
Experts say recent studies have concluded that antibodies provide some level of protection or immunity from getting the virus again. What remains unknown is how long that protection lasts and what level of antibodies is needed for immunity.
Experts say based on similar viruses, the assumption is an adequate level of antibodies could result in immunity lasting for months up to a year or two but more studies need to be done.
Most antibody studies were conducted in severely ill people hospitalized for Covid-19, with only a few studies on those with more minor illness, says Amy Karger, an assistant professor in laboratory medicine and pathology at the University of Minnesota Medical School.
A not-yet-published study from Mount Sinai researchers found that people who have Covid-19 and have mild symptoms still produce robust levels of antibodies.
What is the value of antibody tests right now.
From a public-health perspective, experts say, the tests are crucial for determining the country's and local communities'rate of infection of the virus, and the true mortality rateThough experts say there is now evidence that the presence of antibodies results in some immunity to the virus that causes Covid-19, there are still many unknowns, such as what level of antibodies is needed for protection and how long any immunity lasts.
For a closer look at all of these issues, we asked experts what we know.and don't know.about the tests.
Antibody tests sample your blood to see if your body has produced antibodiesKarger says most tests aren't reporting such information to consumers because it's not yet clear what the numbers mean.
The final type of antibody test is a neutralizing assay which is a highly complex and expensive method usually only used in a research setting. Such tests only measure one type of antibody.the neutralizing antibodies that block the virus and are thought to confer protective immunity.
What's the risk of a high false positive or false negative rate.
Test makers try to balance specificity with sensitivity