What You Need to Know About Antibody Tests

They might not be a true indicator of immunity

A healthcare worker takes a sample from a woman at a New York State Department of Health Covid-19 antibody testing center at Steve’s 9th Street Market in Brooklyn, New York on April 25, 2020. Photo: Michael Nagle/Xinhua News Agency/Getty Images

You’ve probably been hearing a lot about antibodies. These specialized proteins are made by the immune system when the body is infected with a new pathogen. Antibody testing for Covid-19 can give researchers a better picture of how many people have been exposed to the novel coronavirus and how it has spread.