The World Health Organization has questioned whether the antibody tests could guarantee immunity. Hopes that coronavirus antibody tests could help the UK handle coronavirus patients have been dealt a blow.

The UK has begun antibody tests that can detect if someone has contracted coronavirus. The tests have been launched to consider the “back-to-work” plan.

However, experts have expressed doubt that they may not prove if someone is immune from getting a virus again.

The UK’s testing coordinator has forbidden people to purchase private tests.

UK’s government has paid for three-and-a-half million antibody tests. But sources have not found whether the tests are reliable to use. The government has urged that they will not approve any tests until it will become clear its findings are reliable.

Professor John Newton suggested that people should not purchase antibody tests that are not approved.

He said, “We are breaking new ground with this work every day and I am confident this major research effort will make a breakthrough,” “Until then, please don’t buy or take any unproven tests. They may not be reliable for your intended use; they may give a false reading and put you, your family or others at risk.”

He added: “As soon as we have found a test that works for this purpose, we will be in a position to roll them out across the country as a back-to-work test.”

The World Health Organization’s Doctor Maria Van Kerkhove doubted the use of rapid serology tests due to the unavailability of evidence regarding coronavirus immunity.

She said, “There are a lot of countries that are suggesting using rapid diagnostic serological tests to be able to capture what they think will be a measure of immunity.

“Right now, we have no evidence that the use of a serological test can show that an individual has immunity or is protected from reinfection.”

She added: “These antibody tests will be able to measure that level of seroprevalence – that level of antibodies but that does not mean that somebody with antibodies means that they are immune.”

Dr van Kerkhove said it was “a good thing” that so many tests are being developed, but she added: “We need to ensure that they are validated so that we know what they say they attempt to measure they are actually measuring.”