What about Antibody testing?

Antibody testing to identify the presence of an immune response to SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID19) is available at Children’s. That being said we have been discouraged from ordering testing unless children are critically ill and there is concern for Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C). The serology testing is intended only to detect antibodies to the virus, not to diagnose recent or active infection, and it cannot pinpoint the date of exposure. Some individuals, particularly those who are immunosuppressed, may never develop detectable antibodies. A positive serology result suggests a patient is less likely to get infected or re-infected compared to individuals who do not have any antibodies in their blood. However, we are continuing to learn about the level and duration of protective immunity, and can’t definitively say how long or how protective that immunity is. We also do not know if the test will be covered by insurance.

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