MEMPHIS, Tennessee —
Are you wondering if you have had COVID-19 and didn't know it?
Many are wondering about those tests that can show if you have the coronavirus antibodies in you. So, what do you need to know if you are looking for a test and where can you get one?
"I don't remember ever being that sick. It felt like I had needles in my lungs and had a hard time breathing," said Katherine Brown, Memphis resident.
Katherine Brown wants to know if she had COVID-19 earlier this year. She took a COVID-19 antibody test last week and is waiting on the results.
"It's for peace of mind and they also say if you have the antibodies you are less likely to get it. So, maybe if I do have antibodies, I'll be less likely to get it if I encounter someone with it," said Brown.
"Knowledge is power, so if you want to know if you have been infected in the past, this is the test for you," said Dr. Andrenette Fleming, Women’s Healthcare Associates spokesperson.
Fleming is with Women's Healthcare Associates. She said her clinic was one of the first to offer the public swab testing in March to the public, for people to see if they have an active infection and her office does the antibody testing as well.
The swab tests for an active infection. An antibody test is a blood test that tests for the presence of antibodies. Recently there has been criticism about the validity of some of the types of antibody tests on the market.
Dr. Stephen Threlkeld, an infectious disease specialist at Baptist Memorial, says there are reliable tests on the market such as tests by Abbot and Roche.
"It's no matter where you get it. You just want to ask your healthcare provider ‘tell me about the test,’" said Dr. Threlkeld.
Threlkeld says you can get an antibody test at most doctor offices. It's a simple blood test that is sent off to a lab to be processed.