Galveston County and the University of Texas Medical Branch will begin offering free coronavirus antibody testing to county residents beginning Wednesday, June 17. To schedule a test, call 832-632-6731. County residents must show an government-issued ID as proof of residence
An antibody test will show whether a person had COVID-19 in the recent past, which many experts believe gives people some protection from the virus. Results from the tests will be used for track how the virus spreads in Galveston County.
Antibody tests are different from the nasal swab tests used to diagnose active infections. Instead, the tests look for blood proteins called antibodies, which the body produces days or weeks after fighting an infection. Most use a finger-prick of blood on a test strip.