Antibody tests can show whether you need a COVID-19 booster shot, some experts say — but the FDA dis17 Nov 2021 08:23
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https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-antibody-test-should-i-get-one-booster-vaccine-expert-2021-11?fbclid=IwAR0tIhfsjAbSvLZs3_NnLIWOJ8TZViK2PhRu5HFqS3g8Pm2RRZ22CTfhkZo&r=US&IR=T
The Food and Drug Administration and Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden's chief medical advisor, oppose antibody testing as a way of checking people's protection. Antibodies are only one part of the body's immune response, and the tests can be crude. But Segev is far from alone in seeing the potential benefits of antibody testing — and even Fauci told Insider in June that a good antibody test can be a "pretty good" indicator of immunity.
Dr. Michael Mina, assistant professor of epidemiology at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, said on Twitter on Monday that tracking antibodies and knowing how quickly antibody levels drop may be "crucial" — although he acknowledged that some people may be protected even with low antibody levels.
But experts Insider spoke to said these tests are a useful tool. Gary McLean, professor of immunology at London Metropolitan University, told Insider that antibody testing could be used to see if those most at risk of dying from COVID-19 need an early booster shot.
"If their antibody level dropped significantly, it could be a good time for a booster," he said — but he added that it would require monitoring lots of people and might be practically difficult and resource intensive.