What antibody targets are being tested for in the publicly offered UK antibody test? In late August 2021 the NHS (UK) offered people who test positive for COVID what is referred to in this BBC report as a _“new antibody test”_. However, I have been unable to find out what exactly is new about this test. I was hoping to find what antibody targets are being tested for, including the virus strains used for them. From what I understand there are many paths to immunity depending on the antibodies targeting one or more of the viral proteins. ![enter image description here]( image source: Murphy K, Weaver C. _Janeway’s Immunobiology_. 9th ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 2016. Table 10.27 Q: **What exact antibody targets are being tested for?** (What is _" new"_ about this?) * * * Possibly related questions: * How long after taking a vaccine shot (Oxford–AstraZeneca) could an individual test negative for antibody (IgM)? * Why do antibody tests target different antibodies?

Antibody tests have only been used on people involved in studies or surveys. This is the first time the tests are widely offered to the UK public for the purpose of collecting information about “ _vaccine effectiveness and the immune response of the broader population_ ”. This action is what they are referring to as “new” here, not the antibody test itself.