Covid 19 Antibody Testing for ELHT and External Organisations.
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust will be supporting Antibody Testing for external Healthcare and Emergency services/organisations in the surrounding region. The organisations involved in this testing agreement include:
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust North West Ambulance Service
Lancashire Fire and Rescue Lancashire Constabulary
Blackburn with Darwen – CCG East Lancashire - CCG
Local Care Homes (Rossendale, Affiliated External Organisations
Hyndburn, Blackburn with Darwen,
Burnley, Pendle, Ribble Valley)
An antibody test can tell someone whether they have had the virus that causes Covid-19 in the past, by analysing a blood sample.
A positive antibody test demonstrates that someone has developed antibodies to the virus. The presence of antibodies signals that the body has staged an immune response to the virus.
Covid-19 is a new disease, and our understanding of the body’s immune response to it is limited. We do not know, for example, how long an antibody response lasts, nor whether having antibodies means you can’t transmit the virus to others.
Our understanding of the virus will grow as new scientific evidence and studies emerge.
An antibody test result can only tell an individual whether or not they have had the virus in the past. Antibody tests are also being used currently in surveillance studies, to understand what proportion of the population have already had the virus.
No. There is no evidence yet to suggest that those who have been proven to have had the virus are immune. This is the position of the World Health Organisation.
You should continue to comply with social distancing measures and government guidelines. All infection prevention and control measures must continue to be in place irrespective of the presence of antibodies.
Communication of the result is the responsibility of your employing organisation. The results will not go on the employment record and your GP should be able to access the result if required and according to local information sharing protocols.
The anonymised results across the testing programme will provide information on the prevalence of COVID-19 in different regions of the country and help better understand how the disease spreads.
There are some risks related to having a blood test, such as feeling dizzy and faint during and after the test but nothing specific to this antibody test. Risks can also include bruising at the venepuncture site. Serious complications such as an infection at the site where blood was taken and phlebitis (swelling of the vein) are possible but generally extremely unlikely.
Antibody Testing Application Form
Covid19 Antibody Testing Application Form - To use this form you must have the adobe reader program in order to fill in and send. (Please note: you must download this form to your computer and then complete the saved version) This form will not work if opened in the web browser!
1. Download the form to your device
2. Open the Form in Adobe Reader
3. Complete all Fields before submitting
4. Send the form via the email button
5. Any issues please contact the Covid19 Testing Support Team
If you do not receive email confirmation after submitting the Testing Form, please email ??????@elht.nhs.uk for advice.