Antibodies and Immunity

Antibody tests can be used to tell if someone may have had SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. An antibody test may not show if you have a current COVID-19 infection because it can take 1–3 weeks after infection for your body to make antibodies.

Antibody tests cannot tell if someone can get COVID-19 again. We do not know yet how long antibodies for the virus that causes COVID-19 last or if they can keep people from getting it again.

Why is it important to know who has antibodies?