Covid antibody positive

[no_hypocrisy]

I am antibody positive. I donated blood two weeks ago and they tested for antibodies. And I got them.

And I'm going for the Covid nasal swab test on Monday to see if I have any active virus and thus, am contagious.

I'm 63 and working as a cashier. Called the HR Dept and told them about the antibodies and I'm sitting home until the new test results are in. No problem. Early vacation.

I can't believe that I had it, best case scenario. No symptoms including no temperature, no low numbers on the pulse oximeter, etc. I've been monitoring myself for months now. Nada. Nichts. Nothing.

I'm one of the lucky ones.

Blood center is really looking forward to my next donation with this plus: antibodies for those in the ICUs with Covid and I'm AB-positive which is a rare blood type.

[secondwind]

1. Hold your breath when they swab you...... it hurts like hell!

[LisaL]

2. AB positive is an universal recipient, not donor.

"AB positive blood type is known as the “universal recipient” because AB positive patients can receive red blood cells from all blood types."

https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/blood-types/ab-blood-type.html#:~:text=Type%20AB%20Positive,cells%20from%20all%20blood%20types.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. I stand corrected, thank you.

[LisaL]

10. You were right-you are an universal donor for plasma donation.

And universal recipient for blood donation.

[hunter]

8. They are universal donors on the plasma side.

Their blood plasma does not react with any of the common blood types.

When you donate blood, your raw blood is put in a centrifuge. The red blood cells which carry oxygen are concentrated in one bag mixed with a saline solution, and most of the plasma in another.

Blood plasma, although it doesn't carry much oxygen, is used for many sorts of injuries and illnesses.

It is possible to donate plasma alone by plasmapheresis. There are machines that extract plasma from the donor's blood and return the red blood cells.

[LisaL]

9. Makes sense why they would want AB+ for plasma donations then.

[crimycarny]

3. I've heard antibody tests very unreliable?

Have they finally gotten a good antibody test? I’ve read several reports that they are very unreliable. But how can the be doing plasma treatments if the tests are so unreliable? That’s what confuses me.

[LisaL]

6. There are many different tests floating around.

Some are reliable and some are not. Probably the ones they are using for plasma treatments are reliable (one would hope).

[rso]

5. Antibodies

Which specific antibody test did you take ?. I ask because I’ve read that one particular test results in about 45 % false results.

[no_hypocrisy]

7. Don't know. The blood center sent out the donation to be tested.

My guess is to side on the assumption it is reliable as they want to know whether my future plasma donations will save a life for someone seriously ill with Covid.