Antibody Tests for COVID-19 emerge! They are critical to resolving this pandemic. I am fascinated and hopeful about this and will do updated blogs as new information comes to light. This is a moving target and every day we are learning new things about this virus and about testing,
When someone is infected with a virus for the first time, their immune system begins producing antibodies specific to that virus.
Checking to see if someone has coronavirus-specific antibodies is good evidence that they’ve been infected. However, the body doesn’t start to make these immediately, and they might not appear until someone’s illness has run its course. As a result, antibody-based tests can tell doctors whether someone has already had COVID-19,
Antibody Tests for COVID-19 emerge and will help us understand who has already been sick — whether they had significant symptoms or not — and therefore, who is probably immune enough to the virus to safely move around the world normally.
They’ll also help public health officials understand how much of the population has been infected by the coronavirus.
An easily available antibody test would give people who were not able to get tested when they were sick a chance to know if they actually had COVID-19.
Antibody Tests for COVID-19 Emerge! As of today, April 15, 2020
- The FDA was already allowing companies to make and distribute antibody tests for COVID-19 without formal authorization. However, without approval, they were not able to claim that their test could diagnose the disease.
- FDA has approved a test produced by the biotechnology company Cellex. Health care providers have to draw blood from a patient’s vein to run the test, and it can only be done in certified labs — not a doctor’s office. It takes 15 to 20 minutes to get a result. Cellex qSARS-CoV-2 IgG/IgM Rapid Test for detection of IgM and IgG antibodies against SARSCoV-2 i for individuals suspected of COVID-19 by their healthcare provider. Emergency use of this test is limited to authorized laboratories
- Dozens of companies are working to develop antibody tests.
CLICK HERE to read my blog about Worried About Corona Virus? – Top Ten Things We Can Do
CLICK HERE for CDC website covering updates on COVID-19
Please note – This information is not intended for medical diagnosis or treatment, It is for educational purposes only. Please consult with your physician for any questions related to testing.
