COVID-19 Antibody Testing at Atrium Health 

The cost of the antibody test is $80 and may or may not be covered by your health insurance plan. We will submit a claim to your insurance provider on your behalf. Please call your insurance provider for more information about your specific plan coverage. If you don’t have insurance, a discounted self-pay rate is available. 

For kids, the total cost will include the cost of the antibody test and an additional charge for the pre-testing phone or video visit with their primary care doctor. The visit is required to make sure parents and children are prepared for the antibody test. We will submit a claim on your behalf for both the antibody testing and phone or video visit to your insurance company. Please call your insurance provider for more information about your child’s specific plan coverage.

We’re offering antibody testing to both new and existing patients. Adults and kids both need an appointment to get tested, along with a signed order from their doctor. Kids are also required to have a phone or video visit before their testing appointment. We can set that up when you call to schedule testing.

If you’re an Atrium Health primary care patient, call your doctor’s office to schedule an appointment. Don’t have an Atrium Health doctor? Just call 704-468-8888. We’ll assign an Atrium Health doctor who can provide a signed order for your test.

You shouldn’t get antibody testing if you’ve had symptoms of COVID-19 or tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 30 days. You also shouldn’t get antibody testing if you want to find out if you currently have COVID-19. The antibody test can’t diagnose a current infection.

Yes. There’s no minimum age for antibody testing. And as always, your child’s well-being is our top priority. That’s why we require a phone or video visit with your child’s primary care doctor before scheduling your child for antibody testing.

While most adults will find the test easy and relatively painless, kids may have a different experience. The test involves a blood draw with a needle, which children may find scary, upsetting or painful.

During the pre-testing phone or video visit, the doctor will explain what to expect from the test, so you can decide if it’s right for your child. To set up a pre-testing phone or video visit for your child, call your child’s Atrium Health primary care office. If you don’t have a doctor, call 704-468-8888.

We’re offering COVID-19 antibody testing at Atrium Health locations throughout the greater Charlotte region. We’re also using our mobile units to take testing directly into our communities.

To find a testing location near you, call your Atrium Health primary care doctor’s office. Don’t have a doctor? Call 704-468-8888.

A COVID-19 antibody test, also called a serologic test, looks for antibodies in your blood. Your body makes antibodies when it fights an infection, like COVID-19. The same thing happens when you get a vaccine, like a flu shot. That’s how you develop immunity (or protection) against a virus.

The antibody test looks to see whether your immune system has responded to the infection by producing antibodies.

Testing for antibodies requires a blood sample. At your testing appointment, a healthcare provider will complete a standard blood draw – a needle is used to draw blood from your vein, typically on the inside of your elbow. The sample will then be sent to a lab for testing.

A positive test means that antibodies to COVID-19 were found in your blood, which shows that you were likely exposed to the virus at some point in the past. It doesn’t tell you when you were exposed or where you were exposed. Antibodies take at least 2 weeks to develop after you’re exposed to the virus.

While having antibodies indicates that you’ve built some immunity, a positive test doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re immune to catching COVID-19 again.

Health experts are working hard to determine what level of immunity is needed for protection against the virus and how long the immunity to this virus lasts. For example, we believe immunity to measles lasts a lifetime after one exposure, while immunity to tetanus needs to be boosted with a vaccine every 10 years.

Regardless of your results, you should continue to follow the recommendations from your state, local government and workplace regarding preventive measures like social distancing, masking and good hand washing.

A negative test means you don’t have detectable antibodies against COVID-19. In most cases, this means you haven’t been exposed to the virus. While we don’t know for sure whether having antibodies to COVID-19 protects against the virus, we do know that not having antibodies means you’re still at risk for an infection.

Sometimes, there can be a negative test even if you have previously been infected with COVID-19. This is called a false negative. There may be several reasons for this, including not enough time for your body to develop antibodies after an infection or a weak response by your immune system that isn’t picked up by the test.

A negative antibody test also doesn’t rule out that you may have an active COVID-19 infection. It’s possible to be infected without having symptoms, so you could spread the virus to others without knowing it.

Whether you test negative or positive, the best thing you can do is continue to practice preventive measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. And if you develop symptoms of COVID-19, be sure to get care safely.

No. With diagnostic testing, we’re able to find out if someone currently has a COVID-19 infection. Antibody testing can only tell us if someone had a COVID-19 infection in the past.

The antibody test is best used to identify an infection that may have happened several weeks ago or longer. We’re still offering diagnostic tests for people who may currently be sick with COVID-19. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 and think you may need to be tested, follow the steps here.

There are a few reasons antibody testing is helpful:

• Knowing your status – It’s possible you had COVID-19 without experiencing any symptoms at all. Or maybe you had symptoms of COVID-19 but didn’t get a diagnostic test. Antibody testing can tell you if you’ve ever been infected with COVID-19, whether or not you experienced symptoms.
• Informing your care – As we learn more about the virus, antibody test results could help your doctor guide your next steps and make the best decisions for your care.
• Understanding the virus – As Atrium Health continues to lead efforts to prevent and treat COVID-19, antibody testing will play an important role. Testing for antibodies to COVID-19 can help us better understand how many people have been infected and how the virus spreads. It will also help us establish clinical guidelines to improve public health.

The test itself is a standard blood draw procedure that you’ve probably had done before. The risk of complications is very low.​

Since the test involves a needle and temporary pain, children may find the test scary or upsetting. That’s why we require parents to have a phone or video visit with a healthcare provider before scheduling their child for testing. It’s important to understand what to expect from the test so that you’re prepared and can decide if it’s right for your child.

Experts say the main risk of antibody testing is the potential for the results to be misunderstood. To prevent this, we give everyone who gets tested detailed information about what the results mean.

Your safety is always our top priority. In addition to our everyday safety measures, we've added COVID-Safe care protocols at every location to reduce the likelihood of exposure to coronavirus.​

Here are just a few ways we’re making sure you’re protected:

• Face masks for everyone – Everyone at our facilities is asked to wear a mask. Patients can wear their own, or we’ll provide one upon arrival.
• Increased cleaning protocols – We always work hard to fight germs, and we’ve added even more extensive steps to make sure our locations are sanitized.
• Screening at the front door – All patients are screened for COVID-19 before their visit, and employees are screened every day.

With these added safety precautions, you can feel comfortable any time you visit us, whether it’s for testing, a checkup or any other care you may need.

Find out more about COVID-Safe care at AtriumHealth.org/Safe.

Your antibody test results will be texted to you within 24 hours of your appointment, along with a link to more information to help you understand your results.

Your results will also be available on MyAtriumHealth, a free, secure website and mobile app that helps you manage your health. When you schedule your testing appointment, we’ll send you a link to sign up for MyAtriumHealth if you haven’t already.

You can sign in, sign up for an account or download the app at My.AtriumHealth.org. If you have questions about using MyAtriumHealth, read our FAQs here.

We’re using the SARS-CoV-2 IgG assay test from Abbott Laboratories. This test meets the criteria for the U.S. FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization. For more information, download this fact sheet.