This might be the first time in history when so many people are eager to get back to work. Antibody testing could be a solution that helps make it happen.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the first antibody test for COVID-19. Its results quickly and easily determine if people have already been exposed to and overcome the virus.

In this article, we'll cover:

Article ShortcutsWhat are Antibodies?What is Antibody Testing?What Do the Antibody Test Results Mean?How Accurate is COVID-19 Antibody Testing?How Does Antibody Testing Make It Safe(r) to Go Back to Work?Where Can I Get a COVID-19 Antibody Test?

Note: COVID-19 Antibody Testing, like many other aspects of the battle against COVID-19, is a topic with which we learn more and more over time. We will update this article as new information becomes available related to this topic.

What are Antibodies?

Antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins, are proteins produced by the immune system to defend against pathogens such as bacteria and viruses.

When you’re infected with a pathogen, an antibody identifies an antigen on the pathogen.

The antigen is like a lock, and the antibody contains a key. Once the antibody attaches to the pathogen’s antigen, it either signals other immune cells, such as macrophages, in the immune system to attack it, or it destroys the pathogen itself.

This “lock and key” analogy is important because it exemplifies the fact that the antibody is specific to the pathogen.

For example, coronavirus actually refers to a group of viruses that share a common spike-like protein on their surface. This protein is what allows them to attach to receptors on human cells.

Though coronaviruses have been around for a long time, most live in other animals.

In 2002, a coronavirus attacked humans, causing severe respiratory illness in people in China. The disease — called Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) — killed 10 percent of infected patients. The virus itself was named SARS-CoV.

Then, in 2012, another version of the virus started affecting people in Saudi Arabia. One-third of hospital patients with the virus died from Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).

Today, we’re facing COVID-19, another disease by another version of coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. The antibodies developed from exposure to the first two diseases would not prevent you from getting sick with COVID-19.

Another example that's relatable for many of us is influenza. Each year, a different strain of the flu virus makes its way through the population, killing about 250,000 people worldwide. And each year, a new flu vaccine — which causes antibodies to develop in the body to protect it — is released to the public.

But that vaccine is designed based on a guess of the flu-virus strain that will be the biggest problem in the next flu season. Not only is it only partially effective when you get the right vaccine for the flu virus you’re exposed to, the vaccine won’t do anything if you’re exposed to a new strain that requires different antibodies to stop it. In that way, getting a flu vaccine is like rolling the dice.

All that being said, antibodies provide a strong level of protection against future exposure to the same pathogen. This is why there’s significant interest in sharing antibodies from those who’ve been exposed with those who have not yet been exposed to a virus.

Like donating blood to those who have a need for the same blood type, it’s possible to share antibodies with those who have a need for th...