If you are a loyal and active follower of my blog, you know that I got my SARS-CoV-2 antibodies tested way back in the beginning of May. You probably also know that my results came back negative.
However, what you DON’T know is that just this morning, I went and got my antibodies retested again! Why, you ask? For research!
Unless you’ve been sheltering in place under a rock, you know that we are currently in the midst of a pandemic. My employer is one of the many hospitals around the world that is interested in learning more about the spread of coronavirus. A few days ago, my hospital started conducting a research study on its employees—on a completely voluntary basis, of course—with the goal of testing our antibodies.
COVID-19 has been spreading like wildfire in the Central Valley, and we currently have very limited data and knowledge about the virus. Since much is unknown regarding how long antibodies to the virus remain present in the body after infection and whether they provide any immunity or protection whatsoever, my employer decided to conduct a research study. Pretty sweet, huh?
Antibody testing provides knowledge about whether or not a person has been exposed to the virus at one point in time even if there were no symptoms present. It may not necessarily mean the person is immune, per se, to getting the virus again in the future. This test promises answers for many curious people like myself who are wanting confirmation that we have or have not been exposed to the virus.
More importantly, however, getting my antibodies tested presents an opportunity to study the immune response in healthcare workers who are considered a high-risk group in terms of exposure to COVID-19. It will also provide indirect evidence of past exposure or infection. This knowledge will help guide the best care for our patients and their families. By deepening our knowledge of the body’s response to COVID-19, we can not only share this information with others, but also help to contribute to the medical community’s overall understanding of COVID-19.
Although there are no direct benefits to participating in the study, the indirect benefit is contributing to the general knowledge and learning more about its spread.
The results from this morning’s test took about six hours to arrive in my patient portal. As expected, there were no surprises. My results came back negative, yet again.
A negative result opens up the doors to so many possibilities and the potential that I could still get sick if I’ve been exposed. It really didn’t provide me with any clarity or answers except for the fact that I guess am doing a pretty darn good job at this whole social distancing thing. I still plan to err on the side of caution as businesses and local establishments open back up, but I do have a little peace of mind knowing that I haven't been around any infected individuals.
Stay safe and healthy, everybody!