London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 31, 2025

Superdrug is now selling coronavirus antibody tests for £69

Superdrug has become the first high street retailer to sell a test for Covid-19 antibodies.
The testing kit costs £69 and users will need to take a finger prick blood sample at home and then send it off to a lab.

Results are posted through Superdrug’s Online Doctor portal 24 hours after reaching the lab. If positive, it means the person had the virus at some point.

Some experts have urged caution over the test, with one saying that antibody tests for Covid-19 are ‘good for satisfying people’s curiosity but no more’.

But Superdrug said it was ‘confident’ in the accuracy and reliability of the test. It said the test detects the IgG, which is the protein that develops after infection.

Those who have recently developed symptoms should not take the test until at least 14 days as the antibodies may not be apparent before that point, Superdrug added.

Superdrug said the test has a sensitivity of 97.5%, meaning it will detect positive antibodies 97.5% of the time.

It has a specificity of 100%, which means that a positive result is specific to the SARS-CoV-2 virus – the novel coronavirus which causes the Covid-19 disease.

But the science behind the level of protection provided by antibodies is still in its early stages, as the virus has not been around long enough to know what level of protection any antibodies give.

Superdrug’s doctor ambassador, Dr Zoe Williams, said: ‘Receiving a positive antibody test result does not confer immunity, and it is important that people understand a positive test result does not mean you can be any more relaxed with the required hygiene and social distancing measures as set out by the Government.’

Dr Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading, said the presence of antibodies does not indicate that someone is immune, and that any post-infection immunity may dwindle rapidly.

He added: ‘These tests are good for satisfying people’s curiosity, but no more. We just don’t know enough about what it takes to make someone immune to Covid-19 to accurately test people.’

Martin Hibberd, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: ‘These new at-home tests promise to be quite popular, as people who have not had the opportunity to be tested wonder if they have had the disease.

‘However, these tests have not been evaluated in the format that they are being used (finger prick at home and posting to a laboratory for reading) so we cannot yet be confident in their sensitivity and specificity.

‘Despite this, I am pleased to see that the process includes a laboratory approach to reading the test, which should reduce the errors associated with doing this at home. And of course, a finger prick test at home is easier than visiting a clinic to give a more regular blood sample.’
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×