What Your COVID-19 Antibody Test Result Means


This page is for antibody test results on blood donations made between June 2020 and June 2021.

For antibody test results on blood donations made between March 21 and June 17, 2022, please visit this antibody test results page. 

Note: Vitalant did not test blood donations for COVID-19 antibodies between July 2021 and March 19, 2022.

What do your test results mean? Click below on the box that matches what you see in your donor account (Spanish version).

There are two antibody test types: an initial test and a supplemental test.

COVID-19 ANTIBODY TEST

One of these is responsible for this result:

  • You may have antibodies from a previous COVID-19 exposure, COVID-19 vaccination, or both.
  • You may have antibodies from a related common-cold coronavirus or other condition.
  • The result may be a false-positive. This is less common, but if you haven’t been vaccinated and don’t believe you had COVID-19 or were exposed to it, this might be the case.

When your test result is 1, Vitalant will perform a supplemental antibody test to determine if the antibodies are from COVID-19 exposure. Supplemental results will display in your online donor account about 4 weeks after your donation. (Please note: donors who had a convalescent plasma apheresis procedure before April 15 will only receive the COVID-19 antibody test. Donors with lab-diagnosed COVID-19 with this test result are able to continue donating blood from which convalescent plasma may be produced to help COVID-19 patients, while the remaining blood components will help other patients with serious medical conditions.)

  • Your blood did not have antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, or
  • You had a false-negative result. This is rare but may occur.
  • Your donation was incomplete and no antibody test was performed.
  • Your blood couldn’t be tested because there wasn’t enough sample or for other reasons.
  • Test results are pending (if it’s been less than 2 weeks since your donation).
  • Your blood couldn’t be tested (if it’s been more than 2 weeks since your donation).
About the COVID-19 Antibody Test

The test Vitalant uses is Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics VITROS Immunodiagnostic Products Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Total Reagent Pack, authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

 

One of these is responsible for this result:

  • You may have antibodies from a previous COVID-19 exposure, COVID-19 vaccination, or both.
  • You may have antibodies from a related common-cold coronavirus or other condition.
  • The result may be a false-positive. This is less common, but if you haven’t been vaccinated and don’t believe you had COVID-19 or were exposed to it, this might be the case.

When your test result is 1, Vitalant will perform a supplemental antibody test to determine if the antibodies are from COVID-19 exposure. Supplemental results will display in your online donor account about 4 weeks after your donation. (Please note: donors who had a convalescent plasma apheresis procedure before April 15 will only receive the COVID-19 antibody test. Donors with lab-diagnosed COVID-19 with this test result are able to continue donating blood from which convalescent plasma may be produced to help COVID-19 patients, while the remaining blood components will help other patients with serious medical conditions)

  • Your blood did not have antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 the virus that causes COVID-19, or
  • You had a false-negative result. This is rare but may occure.
  • Your donation was incomplete and no antibody test was performed.
  • Your blood couldn’t be tested because there wasn’t enough sample or for other reasons.
  • Test results are pending (if it’s been less than 2 weeks since your donation).
  • Your blood couldn’t be tested (if it’s been more than 2 weeks since your donation).

About the COVID-19 Antibody Test

The test Vitalant uses is Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics VITROS Immunodiagnostic Products Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Total Reagent Pack, authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

COVID-19 SUPPLEMENTAL TEST (Only performed on donations that initially received a 1 in the COVID-19 antibody test; donors diagnosed with COVID-19 who had a convalescent plasma apheresis procedure before April 15 will not have a supplemental test.)

If your recent blood donation tested positive for antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, your initial test result will be a 1 in your online donor account.

Vitalant then performs a supplemental antibody  test to determine if the antibodies are specifically from exposure to the COVID-19 virus. Supplemental results will display in your online donor account about 2 weeks after your initial test results.

  • You likely have antibodies due to exposure to the virus.
  • Vitalant may be able to produce convalescent plasma from your donations to help COVID-19 patients–and the remaining blood components will help other patients with serious medical conditions.
  • You do not have antibodies specifically related to exposure to the COVID-19 virus.
  • Vaccinated donors: if you see a “1” for your initial COVID-19 antibody test result but an “N” for the COVID-19 Supplemental Test, most likely the antibodies resulted from the vaccination but you were not appreciably exposed to the virus.
  • Your donation was incomplete and no antibody test was performed.
  • Your blood couldn't be tested because there wasn't enough sample or for other reasons.
  • Test results are pending (if less than 2 weeks since your initial test results posted).
  • Your blood couldn't be tested (if it's been more than 4 weeks since your donation).
  • You made a convalescent plasma donation before April 15.
About the Supplemental Antibody Test

The test used by Vitalant is the Roche Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2, authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

One of these is responsible for this result:

  • You may have antibodies from a previous COVID-19 exposure, COVID-19 vaccination, or both.
  • You may have antibodies from a related common-cold coronavirus or other condition.
  • The result may be a false-positive. This is less common, but if you haven’t been vaccinated and don’t believe you had COVID-19 or were exposed to it, this might be the case.

When your test result is 1, Vitalant will perform a supplemental antibody test to determine if the antibodies are from COVID-19 exposure. Supplemental results will display in your online donor account about 4 weeks after your donation. (Please note: donors who had a convalescent plasma apheresis procedure before April 15 will only receive the COVID-19 antibody test. Donors with lab-diagnosed COVID-19 with this test result are able to continue donating blood from which convalescent plasma may be produced to help COVID-19 patients, while the remaining blood components will help other patients with serious medical conditions)

  • Your blood did not have antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 the virus that causes COVID-19, or
  • You had a false-negative result. This is rare but may occure.
  • Your donation was incomplete and no antibody test was performed.
 
  • Your blood couldn’t be tested because there wasn’t enough sample or for other reasons.
  • Test results are pending (if it’s been less than 2 weeks since your donation).
  • Your blood couldn’t be tested (if it’s been more than 2 weeks since your donation).

About the Supplemental Antibody Test

The test used by Vitalant is the Roche Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2, authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
  • No. We use the same blood sample for the initial and supplemental blood tests. If your result is negative for the COVID-19 antibody test, a supplemental blood test will not be done.
  • If you donated convalescent plasma, only the COVID-19 Antibody test will be performed; no COVID-19 supplemental test will be done on your blood sample.
  • Over time, antibody-producing cells may shut down. As a result, some donors exposed to SARS-CoV-2 who first test positive for antibodies may later test negative.
  • In people without significant symptoms and/or a positive nasal or oral swab test, false-positive results may occur on an earlier donation for various reasons.
  • For people with swab-confirmed COVID-19, this test can occasionally give a false-negative result on a later donation. The best course of action if you want confirmation of your current antibody status is to follow up with your health care provider.
  • Our initial test identifies antibodies that could have developed from either the COVID-19 vaccination or as a result of COVID-19 infection, but it does not distinguish between the source.
  • If your donation also has a positive supplemental test result, you were likely exposed to the COVID-19 virus. People who have been vaccinated but were never exposed to the virus only have antibodies detected by our initial test.