ANTIBODY testing is being billed as a ‘game changer’ by the Government, which is facing fierce backlash for its response to testing. Health Secretary Matt Hancock pledged to test 100,00…
ANTIBODY testing is being billed as a 'game changer' by the Government, which is facing fierce backlash for its response to testing.
The tests are being developed by several different firms and Public Health England is also working on its own test.Once these tests pass laboratory checks, they will eventually become available to everyone. But, the Government has initially only ordered 3.5 million tests - which isn't enough for the entire UK population.
The government refers to them as the 'have you got it' antigen test or the 'have you had it' antibody test.Antigens are found on the surface of invading pathogens, including coronavirus. Most labs use a method called the polymerase chain reaction , which takes several hours to get a result.Several companies are working on ways to fast track this type of testing.When a person gets infected with antigen, the body starts making specially designed proteins called antibodies in response - as a way to fight the infection.That's the body's way of defending itself in case it becomes infected with the virus again.
The check that has been developed for Covid-19 is a finger-prick blood test, with the samples sent to laboratories and results available within a few days.
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