Got the Vaccine? Is it Working?

It is a common question most people ask after they get a COVID-19 vaccine. Is it working? Now, you don’t have to wonder.

The COVID-19 Vaccine-Generated Antibody Test offered at Any Lab Test Now® can be used to determine if your body has produced antibodies after receiving a vaccine.

The test searches for antibodies against the spike protein, which normally will appear within two weeks after receiving your COVID-19 vaccine.  Before we get into the antibody test, let’s take a closer look at the vaccines designed to protect you from a COVID-19 infection.

Current COVID-19 Vaccines

Right now, there are three vaccines available in the United States. Medical experts will say that the best vaccine is the one that is available to you. They suggest you don’t delay getting vaccinated by waiting for a specific brand to become available.

Here is a look at the COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized and recommended by the CDC.

Moderna – Anyone 18 years and older can get this mRNA vaccine. It is given in the muscle of the upper arm in a series of two shots set four weeks apart. Patients are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the second dose.

Clinical trials suggest the Moderna vaccine is 94.1 percent effective at preventing laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 illness in people who received two doses and who had no evidence of being previously infected.

Pfizer-BioNTech – This shot is also an mRNA vaccine and, as of May 2021, is now available to anyone 12 years and older. A medical professional injects the vaccine into the muscle of the upper arm. This vaccine is given in two doses with a three-week separation in between the first and second shot. Patients are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the second dose.

In clinical trials, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was 95 percent effective at preventing laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 illness in people without evidence of a previous infection.

Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen – This single-dose vaccine is a viral vector type vaccine and is available for anyone 18 years and older. Like the other vaccines, it is given in the muscle of the upper arm, and patients are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the shot.

Women younger than 50 years old should be aware of the rare risk of blood clots after vaccination.

In clinical trials, the J&J/Janssen vaccine was 66.3 percent effective at preventing laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 illness in people who had no evidence of prior infection two weeks after receiving the vaccine.

Types of Vaccines

mRNA Vaccines – Called Messenger RNA vaccines, or mRNA for short, these are a new type of vaccine engineered to protect against infectious diseases. The mRNA vaccines teach our cells how to make a protein that produces an immune response inside our bodies. The benefit of mRNA vaccines, like all vaccines, is to gain protection without ever having to risk the serious consequences of getting sick with COVID-19.

The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are mRNA-type vaccines.

Viral Vector Vaccines

This type of vaccine uses a modified version of a different virus, referred to as the vector, to deliver important instructions to our cells. The benefit of viral vector vaccines is those who get vaccinated gain protection without ever having to risk the serious consequences of contracting COVID-19.

The Johnson & Johnson Janssen vaccine is a viral vector type vaccine.

Facts about COVID-19 mRNA and Viral Vector Vaccines:

Neither mRNA nor viral vector vaccines use any part of the virus that causes COVID-19, so they cannot give you the virus or any other infection.

Neither vaccine affects nor interacts with your DNA. The mRNA never enters the nucleus of the cell, which is where our DNA is kept. The cell breaks down and gets rid of the mRNA soon after it is finished using the instructions.

In the case of a viral vector vaccine, the genetic material delivered in the shot does not integrate into your DNA.

Who Should Not Get Vaccinated?

You should not get vaccinated if you have had a severe allergic reaction or an immediate allergic reaction to any ingredient in an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine or viral vector COVID-19 vaccine. Here is a link to a breakdown of the ingredients for each vaccine.

If you had an allergic reaction after getting the first dose of either of the mRNA vaccines, you should not get a second dose.

An allergic reaction is considered severe when a person needs to be treated with epinephrine or EpiPen© or if they must go to the hospital. An immediate allergic reaction means a reaction within four hours of getting vaccinated, including symptoms such as hives, swelling, or respiratory distress.

Possible Vaccine Side Effects

While not as serious as an allergic reaction, you could experience some side effects from the vaccines. These side effects usually start within a day or two of getting the vaccine and should subside in a few days. They include:

In the arm where the shot was administered:

  • Pain
  • Redness
  • Swelling

Throughout the rest of your body:

  • Fatigue
  • Headache
  • Muscle pain
  • Chills
  • Fever
  • Nausea

Now that you have a basic understanding of the vaccines and how they work, we can dive into figuring out how to determine if you’ve developed antibodies after having the vaccine administered.

The COVID-19 Vaccine-Generated Antibody Test

The CDC estimates that close to three million Americans are getting vaccinated against COVID-19 every day. Any Lab Test Now offers the COVID-19 Vaccine-Generated Antibody Test to help you find out if the vaccine created antibodies against the virus.

This test offers some peace of mind and reassurance that your immune system is having a positive reaction to the vaccine.

  • How do you take the test? It is a simple blood test; no fasting is necessary, and you share results with your primary care physician.
  • Who can take the test? Anyone who has no known exposure to COVID-19 and received the entire series or dosage of a government-approved COVID-19 vaccine.
  • When can you take the test? Two to three weeks after the final dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
  • How much does the test cost? The cost of the test varies by location, but it’s around $120, which is not covered by insurance but can be paid for with healthcare spending accounts.
  • Where can you take the test? The COVID-19 Spike Protein test is available at select Any Lab Test Now locations across the United States. You can look up the location closest to you here.

Be at Ease

Any Lab Test Now wants you to be at ease when it comes to seeking out any type of lab work, including determining if you’ve developed antibodies from the COVID-19 vaccine.

We provide you a safe and clean alternative location for lab work. Each of our 190+ stores is sanitized several times a day, in accordance with the CDC’s protocols. Any Lab Test Now is a committed partner in helping you manage your family’s healthcare so you can make educated decisions that will directly affect your quality of life. We want to put you at ease during the coronavirus pandemic. We are here to help.

For more information about Any Lab Test Now, and the tests we offer, visit us at www.anylabtestnow.com.