Antibody tests rolled out to essential workers

Wednesday 27 May 2020

Retail workers, nursery staff, cleaners and gardeners are among those now being offered covid-19 antibody tests as the government ramps up its efforts to monitor the spread of the illness.

The testing is available for all essential workers who worked worked away from home for five or more times when the island was in full lockdown between 30 March and 11 May.

This includes:

• Parish workers
• Nursery workers and childminders
• Utility and Island infrastructure workers
• Retail workers, including from supermarkets, petrol stations, DIY stores, banks, pet shops, garden centres and takeaways
• Freight, post and passenger services, including bus drivers, taxi drivers, post and delivery workers
• Emergency accommodation providers
• Volunteers
• Cleaners and security workers
• Construction workers
• Gardeners and farmers

It follows antibody tests being offered to essential workers employed in the public sector last week.

Video: How the antibody testing works. (GoJ footage)

The finger-prick blood test returns a result in 15 minutes, telling the individual if they have had the virus already and developed antibodies as a result.

The tests do not prove that an individual has had immunity, however.

There are two types of antibodies: IgG, which means that an individual has had the virus and recovered, and IgM, which indicates that they may still have the virus.

If anyone presents with the latter, they will be offered a PCR (diagnostic) test immediately, and will be asked to go into self-isolation immediately.