India has been working on improving its COVID-19 testing capacity to contain the spread of the virus. To increase testing and provide results faster, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has already approved the use of rapid antigen test kits for diagnosis of COVID-19 infection in containment zones and healthcare settings in combination with the RT-PCR test. Now, diagnostic laboratory chain Thyrocare Technologies has announced the launch of ‘Covid Antibody Tests’ across India. The current testing methods can detect the virus in the nasal and throat swabs, but the antibody test can identify if you have had the novel coronavirus at some point in the past and produced the antibodies to fight it. Also Read – COVID-19 Live Updates: Cases in India surge to 6,73,165 as death toll reaches 19,268

As it launched the antibody test facility at its labs in cities across India on Friday, Thyrocare noted that it is not a diagnostic test and it should be used for serosurveillance (estimates of antibody levels) to understand if a person has encountered the infection in the recent past. The ICMR has also approved the test kits and procedures, it stated. Also Read – Beware: COVID-19 virus may damage the endocrine system and trigger many diseases

The antibody testing has already begun at the Vashi facility of the Thyrocare labs in Mumbai. The test is priced at Rs 600 and you can get the results within 24 hours. Also Read – Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin: All you need to know about India’s first indigenous vaccine

The purpose of antibody tests

According to Thyrocare, the antibody test will help to understand what percentage of the population got exposed to the virus and developed antibodies to fight the virus. Our body’s immune system produces two types of antibodies in response to the COVID-19 infection: IgM that the body produces in the early stages of viral response, and IgG, which arrive later on during infection. If you have the antibody IgM, it indicates that you still have the virus and are contagious. If you only test positive for the IgG antibody, it means you’re over the infection. If your blood has both IgM and IgG antibodies, it may indicate that you are in the middle stage of infection.

Many labs and companies around the world have developed different types of antibody test, such as finger-prick tests, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Experts believe that antibody tests will help identify people who have not been infected yet and hence are still at risk for infection. This will help in determining factors that offer protection against this virus. As this test will also help identify people who have antibodies against the virus, experts suggest that people who have recovered from the disease may be sent back to work by providing ‘immunity badges’ and this can lead to an easing of lockdown restrictions.

Get the test at the comfort of your homes

According to Thyrocare, the blood samples will be collected from your home through its facilities available in all major cities. Unlike other blood tests, the coronavirus antibody test doesn’t require fasting or any other precautionary measures. The test will let you know if you have contracted the virus and have antibodies to fight it or you haven’t contracted the virus yet.

Dr A Velumani, Founder and CEO, Thyrocare Technologies, believes that the antibody tests provide data and information regarding the immunity levels of citizens in our country. He told media persons that they have conducted about 10,000 tests in the past week, out of which 6.8% of people have tested positive for the antibody tests.

If your antibody test is positive, it shows that your immune system is capable of developing antibodies to fight off the virus.

Thyrocare claims that it is now conducting around 1,500 to 2,000 tests daily. However, it also pointed out that there is a lack of awareness among the people about the purpose of the test.

Published : July 5, 2020 10:58 am | Updated:July 5, 2020 10:59 am