In our drive to vaccinate the nation, we must not overlook the importance of antibody testing to help prioritise vaccine resources.

Ensuring the effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines will play a key role in promoting public health, including prioritisation of vulnerable populations, and building and promoting public confidence. Clinical trial data provided to the MHRA has shown the Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines to be safe and effective, delivering a strong immune response over a six-month period.

With the UK’s national testing strategy now underway, Siemens Healthineers recognises a time of opportunity and advocates the planning of a government-led immunity surveillance programme, to inform both present and long-term vaccine strategies – measuring immune response, monitoring vaccination effectiveness, and safeguarding public health.

Tools such as quantitative antibody testing would form a critical part of this programme, providing key insights into the ongoing immune status of individuals post-vaccination and measuring the long-term effectiveness of the UK vaccination programme.

The SARS-CoV-2 IgG Antibody Test (sCOVG) from Siemens Healthineers can identify neutralising antibodies that prevent infection and measure the quantity of these in a patient’s blood. This quantitative assessment can help to inform the vaccination strategy, identifying the level of antibodies needed to protect against future encounters with the virus.

“The SARS-CoV-2 IgG Antibody Test from Siemens Healthineers identifies neutralising spike protein antibodies,” states Stewart Hutton, Business Lead for Diagnostics at Siemens Healthineers GB&I. “The test is able to determine whether a patient’s immune system is producing the right antibodies in the right quantity to stop or prevent COVID-19 infection – demonstrating the immune sufficiency of individuals and indicating any requirements for boosters or re-vaccination.”

Clinical antibody testing can support the prioritisation of vaccine resources and could help inform the long-term UK vaccination strategy, helping to establish a threshold for protection or immunity and tracking antibody response and longevity of protection.

To find out more, join our webinar on the 22nd of January, where virologist, Dr Angela Rasmussen, will detail the uses and necessity of antibody testing in the setting of vaccination.

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