Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, testing for infection with at-home antigen kits gained wide popularity. A recent study explored the advantages of using at-home antibody tests to detect immunity and help decide on the necessity of a COVID-19 booster shot, especially for individuals at high risk of severe outcomes from the virus.
By the latter stages of the pandemic, more than 96% of individuals aged 16 and above in the U.S. had COVID-19 antibodies either from previous infection or vaccination. Despite this, immunity from the virus tends to decrease over time. The uptake of booster shots has been relatively low, which could lead to a decline in the current high levels of protection.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, at-home antigen tests were widely used for detection of the infection. In a recent collaborative study by researchers from George Washington University, the University of North Carolina, and other institutions, the focus was on the benefits of employing at-home antibody tests to identify immunity levels and determine the necessity of a COVID-19 booster shot. This could be particularly crucial for individuals at high risk of severe outcomes from a COVID-19 infection.
The study revealed that a negative result on an at-home antibody test indicates insufficient immunity, as demonstrated by a comprehensive set of Covid immunity tests conducted by specialized academic and industry labs at various locations across the nation.
“Our findings imply that an antibody test taken at home can help at-risk individuals conveniently determine their immunity status to COVID-19 in a scenario where population immunity is diminishing,” said co-author John Lafleur, who is a professor of emergency management at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. “This information could be vital for those contemplating a booster shot but are unsure about its necessity. Additionally, similar to home antigen testing, home antibody tests could prove beneficial in any future viral outbreak.”
The study titled “COVID-19 Point-of-Care Tests can Identify Low-Antibody Individuals: In-depth Immunoanalysis of Boosting Benefits in a Healthy Cohort” was published on June 12 in Science Advances.
