COVID-19 Antibody Tests

@lioness & @bookysue If I read @suerc post correctly, the illness & calls happened back in February, so making the calls you suggest probably aren't going to help at this point.
Sue - you need to call your doctor or the local health department to ask about antibody tests - where and to whom they are available near you.
BUT... please know that not all antibody tests are equal. There are many that have been granted emergency, interim approval that are NOT tested in the proper scientific way to be sure "negative" and "positive" results are accurate. You need to be sure you are getting a test that has been rigorously verified, such as those developed by Mayo, several universities, and a few major US labs. Verifying tests requires that they be administered to known positive samples (as from a previous Covid-19 test) known negatives (from blood samples that existed before Covid-19) and controls (distilled water, samples from people who had the common cold which is another corona virus) and get correct results every time. Many tests being used now, even by some "testing centers" and possibly clinics, are completely unverified - hastily developed and rushed to market, some are imported, a few have even been shown to be bogus - testing nothing. So be sure the tester can tell you, in writing, what test it is and who verified it.
Finally, the verified tests are not yet widely available, so in most places are being prioritized first to medical and first responder personnel, patients in hospitals and care facilities, people who need to know to get back to work. Next is government-sponsored population testing, determining how wide-spread previous infection and probable immunity are so decisions can be made on when & where to open life up again. Those of us who need to know to get back into the world with some peace of mind fall far down the list.
As in all things Covid-19, stay tuned for further developments. Things are changing day by day, sometimes hour by hour. If you are in a hard hit area, testing will likely be available sooner to you than those in remote, somewhat unaffected places.
Stay calm, stay safe, stay patient.
Sue

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My friend was extremely ill in late January - February. Extreme coughing, fatigue, headaches etc. He never went to the doctor....just isolated himself and tried to work ( not around other people). We just passed it off as the regular flu but now are having second thoughts after learning about Covid. Does he stand a chance of getting an antibody test?

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