Can you have coronavirus antibodies yet still be contagious?

After weeks of self-isolating, with her symptoms improved, Canning Zast assumed she had recovered and decided to donate her plasma to be used as convalescent therapy — a technique that has been used by doctors to treat infectious diseases.

But on April 7, more than three weeks after initially testing positive for the coronavirus, Canning Zast got another surprise: A blood test showed that her immune system had developed enough antibodies against the virus to qualify for plasma donation, but she would be unable to donate because her nasal swab test had yet again come back positive for the coronavirus. 

It would be another week before Canning Zast finally tested negative for the virus, on April 15.  

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