COVID-19 Test – Home Visit

The IgG Antibody Test involves the analysis of a venous blood sample to determine if Immunoglobulin G antibodies are present. This type of antibody is created at a later stage of infection and is associated with immunity against an illness. By identifying IgG antibodies related to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, this confirms if you have previously been infected with the coronavirus.

Please note that this test does not confirm if you are immune to COVID-19. There is no proof that a person can be immune to the coronavirus.

In order to conduct the IgG Antibody Test, Abbott’s Architect Machine is used to examine the blood samples.

No. While sample collection can take place at your home, this must be conducted by a qualified Phlebotomist and a venous sample must be collected to ensure the accuracy of the test.

You can undergo the IgG Antibody Test at any point, as this type of COVID-19 test diagnoses past infections rather than current infections. However, if you have experienced symptoms of COVID-19, you should wait at least 14 days after you first experience these symptoms before you take the test, as the body needs time to form antibodies.

A venous sample must be obtained in order for the laboratory to conduct the IgG Antibody Test. This type of sample involves withdrawing blood directly from the vein.

For the IgG Antibody Test, a venous sample must be collected. To do so, our qualified Phlebotomists will use a needle to withdraw blood from the vein in the crook of the elbow. You may feel slight discomfort when the blood sample is collected, however, this process will not take long.

When the blood sample has been obtained, our Phlebotomists will take the needle and used components with them to dispose of safely. Your sample will be stored appropriately until it is sent off to the CQC registered laboratory.

You may experience minor bruising around the site where the blood sample was collected.

You should avoid carrying heavy bags for a few hours after sample collection.

This type of COVID-19 test is highly accurate.

Sensitivity: 100%

Specificity: 99%

These statistics apply when the test is taken 14 days after the onset of symptoms.

The PCR Test determines if a person is currently infected with the coronavirus. An individual is required to take a swab of their nose or throat, before sending this off to the laboratory. Medical researchers will examine the DNA within the sample to establish if this is the same as genetic material of SARS-CoV-2.

The two main results that you will receive are positive and negative.

A positive result confirms that IgG SARS-CoV-2 antibodies have been detected in your blood sample. This means that you have recently been infected with COVID-19.

A negative result means that no IgG SARS-CoV-2 antibodies have been found in your blood, and you have probably not recently been infected with COVID-19. Please note that some individuals do not develop enough antibodies to be detected despite having had COVID-19, which would lead to a negative result.

You may also receive a borderline result. This means that IgG antibodies related to SARS-CoV-2 have been identified in your blood, however, the quantity is not great enough to yield a positive result. If this is the case, you should consider taking a second test 7 days later.

You will receive a secure link to your results around 48 hours after the laboratory have received your sample.