COVID-19 antibody tests are now being offered to blood donors at Western Kentucky Regional Blood Center. They began offering tests Monday and will continue to do so through Sept. 11.
CEO Janet Howard said the antibody test is not a diagnostic test and will not determine if a person currently has the coronavirus. It only determines whether someone has developed antibodies to COVID-19.
The test requires a blood sample, which is taken during the blood donation process. Testing will be available to those with a successful donation, but the test is not required. Citizens cannot receive the test without donating blood.
The antibody test is authorized by the FDA. Howard said samples are taken by WKRBC and sent off for testing, with results expected to take up to 10 days to return.
Howard warned that a positive test does not necessarily equate to immunity from the coronavirus. A negative result also does not mean a donor does not have antibodies — the count could be too low to show up.
“You could literally have antibodies but it be too low to be considered a positive,” she said. “Those people test negative. Not everyone who is exposed to COVID-19 will form the antibodies. It’s kind of a hit-and-miss thing. It depends on their immune system.”
For those that do test positive, it only means that the person has antibodies in their blood and they have likely been exposed to COVID-19.
By law, WKRBC is required to report positive results to the local health department. The health department is not currently investigating those positive results but that is subject to change, according to WKRBC.
Those testing positive for antibodies are also encouraged to contact their physician to discuss the results.
Donors with positive results could be contacted by WKRBC regarding the donation of convalescent plasma. Those who have fully recovered from the coronavirus may be able to donate their plasma to help critically ill patients currently fighting the infection.
WKRBC began collecting and distributing COVID-19 convalescent plasma to area hospitals in mid-April.
“If we do come across people who have antibodies there is a really good chance that we might talk to them about donating convalescent plasma,” Howard said. “It is an extra incentive to help us have some cushion of convalescent plasma here at the center. We don’t know what the next few months are going to bring.”
Those interested in donating blood or plasma should contact the center at 270-684-9296 to set up an appointment.
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