Not only for epidemiologists, it is interesting to know how many people were ultimately contracted the Coronavirus. Also, many people are looking for clarity. A possible solution could be the new type of anti-body Tests.

Has formed the body, namely antibodies against Covid-19, has reacted to the immune system on the pathogen, or is already in the genome immune to the Virus.

How many people were ultimately infected with the Coronavirus, is unclear. "There is a big grey area," explains Antonia Zapf from the Institute for Medical biometry and epidemiology, University hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf. The current Numbers and studies would have been a good impression of the development. "It is not important to communicate that the figures are estimates - the truth."

An anti-body Test can provide answers.

• How the App looks, the front of the Coronavirus

to warn, in Principle, an antibody Test is worth it, if the supposed symptoms, such as fever, cough, or restriction of the odor and sense of smell are already clearly in the past. In General, a minimum of three weeks should be passed.

• The most common symptoms you can find here

A Munich-based private practice, said that the symptoms should even be back in a month. The antibody Test can show whether there is the possibility that the body has to fight against the Virus.

Who suffers currently of symptoms, you should doctor as soon as possible by telephone to his house or the health Department report. An anti-body Test, during an acute infection, nothing. It lasts, before the immune system responds and antibodies have been formed.

There are two important factors to the patients with an anti-body Test, the specificity and the sensitivity need to pay attention: on the one Hand. Many manufactures advertise with a high specificity.

This figure shows, how many Healthy people, who are definitely not infected with the Virus, or were to be detected by the Test, are actually considered healthy. A Test with a specificity of 95 per cent returns in five of the 100 non-infected people mistakenly get a positive result.

The sensitivity is the percentage of patients in which the infection is actually detected. A Test with a sensitivity of 95 percent not identified 95 out of 100 infections and five.

Basically: are the longer the symptoms, the better the sensitivity is.

Who wants to make an anti-body Test, you should of his doctor. Also, General practitioners and internists have the option of such a Test offer.

CHIP advises: to Call the practice and ask if you can do an anti body Test. It is possible that employees ask you first about possible symptoms.

Is the anti-body Test positive must inform Doctors of the health Department. An antibody test is an indirect detection of the pathogen, according to a Letter from the cash-medical Federal Union.

Who wants to test themselves prefer to be anonymous, you can get on the net rapid tests for home use. On request, specialists declare, however, that these Tests are not able to currently keep up with the quality (sensitivity/specificity) from the laboratory. The risk that the test result is wrong, seems great. Nevertheless, the industry is working on better quality versions of these at home Tests.

much of the anti-body Test Kits for home works together with some laboratories in Germany. Consumers must send the blood sample by Post to the laboratory. The result also comes in the Mail, and after about 7 to 21 days.

There are currently different manufacturers of such anti-body Tests. On average, they cost between 30 and 70 euros (as of the end of may 2020). Some practices offer the Test for 20 Euro. Patients should also calculate the costs for the lab and the shipping costs.

These fees are determined by the regulation of charges for Physicians (expenses according to GOÄ §10). Privately insured patients receive this usually cost of your health insurance reimbursed, by law, the Insured should first ask whether you will be accepted. The Statutory health insurance funds assume the costs only in exceptional circumstances. For example, if the Test for the job is essential.

In the case of an anti-body Test, the doctor takes the blood, sends it to the laboratory and inform you the result. Some doctor's offices send blood samples by courier service, which makes the whole thing more expensive. After a maximum of two working days of the result.

Online Test Kits cost between 49 and 129 euros.

Only the manufacturer's speak of a high degree of accuracy of their anti-body Test.

CHIP Corona

A negative test result can, however, be differently interpreted. Either the Patient has not had the Coronavirus, or he is in the midst of an earlier stage of the infection.

In case of a positive result, the matter is somewhat more difficult. The Robert Koch Institute points out that the detection of antibodies do not guarantee immunity, nor on an active infection could point out.

The Paul-Ehrlich-Institut Federal Institute for vaccines and biomedical pharmaceuticals may make about the reliability of rapid test, no clear statement. The background is that the manufacturer certifications for such antibody can assign Tests up to and including may 2022 self.

Who Test antibody, you should definitely note: In the case of the Covid-19-antibody tests must always be a possible cross-reaction with antibodies excluded, which were formed against other corona viruses.

The consequences of a false-positive result could lead to people to feel wrong for sure, and possibly not more and more hygiene regulations and contact restrictions.

*The post "have you Had a Corona? The antibody Test works - and so sure he is released" is from chip.de. Contact with the executives here.