As of Tuesday, individuals can now purchase a COVID-19 antibody test for themselves online, without visiting a doctor’s office, through a website run by Quest Diagnostics called QuestDirect.
The service allows those wising to be tested to request the COVID-19 Immune Response test and purchase it online. Each test request is reviewed by a physician and is then ordered for the individual once approved, according to company officials. Individuals who have been tested will have the opportunity to speak with a licensed physician about their results.
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According to the QuestDirect website, the test costs $119 and will be the financial responsibility of the individual who wishes to be tested.
[READ MORE: Why Florida’s governor wants expanded coronavirus antibody testing]
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, COVID-19 antibody testing may indicate whether “the person has been exposed to the virus and developed antibodies against it, which may mean that person has at least some immunity to the coronavirus.” Antibody testing uses blood serum specimens and is sometimes referred to as serology testing.
According to the company, the test is intended for people who meet the following criteria:
- Have had a positive test for COVID-19 and it has been at least 7 days and you want to know if you have detectable levels of IgG antibodies
- Have not experienced a fever or felt feverish in the last 3 days
- Have not experienced new or worsening symptoms of COVID-19 in the past 10 days: loss of smell or taste, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, feeling weak or lethargic, lightheadedness or dizziness, vomiting or diarrhea, slurred speech, and/or seizures
The company said the test is not helpful if you meet the following criteria:
- Feeling sick or have had a fever within the last 3 full days, please contact a healthcare provider
- Trying to diagnose COVID-19, please contact a healthcare provider
- Less than 7 days since being tested for and diagnosed with COVID-19
- Directly exposed to COVID-19 in the past 14 days
- A person with a compromised immune system, a condition that makes it difficult to fight infections
Quest Diagnostics also released a disclaimer that serology testing may detect antibodies from other coronaviruses, which can cause a false positive result if an individual has been previously diagnosed with or exposed to other types of coronaviruses.
“Additionally, if you test too soon, your body may not have produced enough IgG antibodies to be detected by the test yet, which can lead to a false negative result,” the company stated on its website.
Test results are available on MyQuest, the company’s online patient portal, and are generally available 1-2 days on average after providing a blood draw, company officials said.
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