What are antibodies and how does one get them?

The Regional Medical Research Centre (RCMR) of the ICMR concluded a serological survey of 12 districts of Odisha in September 2021. The aim was to estimate and compare the prevalence of COVID19 among various age groups. The results showed that 70% children aged from 6 to 10 years had developed antibodies, and 74% of kids aged 11 to 18 had developed it too.  

This was clearly supposed to be a good thing, going by the media reports and the tone of the report. But what are antibodies, why is it good to develop them, and how does one get them?  

What are antibodies?  
Antibodies are also called immunoglobulins. They are proteins made by the immune system of our body to detect and get rid of certain types of germs. Once created, antibodies remain in our bodies to fight the same germ again and again. Doctors search for immunoglobulins for a particular disease by doing an antibody blood test. This test shows whether we have been infected by a germ in the past, developed an antibody against it, and whether that antibody is still present in the blood.  

How do antibodies develop? 
According to the RCMR team, most children in Odisha were indoors all this while. So their exposure to COVID19 came from immediate family and friends. The immune system of these infected children then developed immunoglobulins to fight the virus. Once they got well, the antibody remained in their blood. This is good news, since the antibody will protect the child against future attacks by the corona virus.  

Can we develop antibodies without getting sick?  
Getting sick to be protected against a disease doesn’t sound too good. However, a lot of people are luckily born with a higher level of immunoglobulins since it is partially a genetic factor. A lot of kids who are exposed to certain types of germs common to their climate and environment also develop antibodies without falling sick. But the best bet is a vaccine. Vaccination creates immunoglobulins too. So if you want protection from corona virus by creating antibodies, the easiest and safest method is vaccination.