University of Birmingham researchers have found that the accuracy of antibody tests for Covid-19 is highly dependent on timing.
By combining data from 54 studies, the researchers found that antibody tests are not accurate enough to confirm whether someone has had the Covid-19 virus if used in the first two weeks after symptoms appear.
The tests are only likely to be useful in detecting historic Covid-19 infection if used at least 14 days after symptom onset, and will still miss around one in ten cases.
