Your blood-drop test result can be viewed in the boxes in the VITAS laboratories web portal:

• “Ditt resultat” shows the estimated amount of antibodies in your sample
• “Ønsket resultat” shows the laboratory’s value for a sample that is considered positive (threshold value) as it applies to the test used at VITAS laboratory.
• In the “Kommentar” box beside the result values, you will find one of the following comments: “Påvist”, “Ikke påvist”, “Usikkert resultat”, or “Ikke utført”. This comment will tell you whether or not you carry antibodies for SARS-CoV-2, or whether problems have been encountered while analyzing your sample.

What does your result mean?

Påvist: This means that antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 have been found in your sample. This is a positive antibody test. It indicates that the value in your result (“Ditt resultat”) is above the threshold value that determines a positive test using the test method at VITAS (“Ønsket resultat”). If your result is positive, your sample will be reanalyzed at the Oslo University Hospital laboratories using a different method. We reanalyze to be completely certain that there are antibodies present. Still, although you have antibodies in your body now it is important that you do not take a positive result to mean that you have long-term immunity against SARS-CoV-2.

Ikke påvist: This means that antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 have not been found in your sample. This is a negative antibody test. It indicates that the value in your result (“Ditt resultat”) is below the threshold value that determines a positive test using the test method at VITAS (“Ønsket resultat”).

Usikkert resultat: There are some instances where an initial positive result will have a negative result upon being reanalyzed. This will give an inconclusive result. Sometimes, a result is so close to the threshold value that determines a positive or negative result, that we cannot be certain whether there are antibodies in your sample or not. If your result is inconclusive, the only way you can obtain a conclusive answer is to provide a blood sample for your general practitioner to analyze using other methods. If you wish, you can be sent test equipment to provide a standard blood sample by sending an email to the project email address (see contact information below).

Ikke utført: This means that the analysis has not been completed. The reason for your incomplete test will be written in the result. This may have been due to an issue with the analysis apparatus or something else that has resulted in your sample being lost. If your test has not been completed, you can be sent new test equipment for providing a blood drop with a finger prick by sending an email to the project email address (see contact information below).

The same explanation for the results and information about antibodies are also available on UiT’s website: https://uit.no/project/koronaimmunitet/result

What are antibodies?

Antibodies are a part of the body’s immune system, which is essential for fighting, among many things, viruses. If you are infected and sick, your immune system will produce antibodies which bind to the virus. This contributes to the body’s fight against the virus and prevents the spread of the virus to new cells. The infection will therefore slowly subside until the body becomes virus-free. After a previously sick person has become healthy and virus-free again, the antibodies for the virus remain in the body such that the immune system is better prepared for defending the body against the same virus again. This is called immunity and such antibodies can be detected in the blood.

It takes at least two weeks from the time you get sick until antibodies can be detected. The number of antibodies increase in the first few weeks before they decrease again. It is not yet clear to what extent and for how long antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 provide protection against this virus or can be detected in the blood. Therefore, it is important that you do not take a positive result to mean that you have long-term immunity against SARS-CoV-2.

Contact information

If you have any questions about your test result, please contact the project leader, Torkjel M. Sandanger, or the project team member, Bente A. Augdal, via email: korona-antistoff@uit.no. You can also contact us via telephone: 77646638 from 10:00-13:00 on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.

Thank you for participating in this study and for contributing to important research!