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Originally Posted by Rich
Does anyone else think they should include the results of antibody tests along with the active virus tests? At this point every person should be given both tests, or if they show 'negative' then they should be tested for antibodies (perhaps not to waste an antibody test resources on someone that is positive for the active virus).
Looking at the testing, I see number of tests for active COVID 'positive' and 'negative', but no 'has COVID antibodies', 'did not have COVID antibodies'.
Any person today can not have an active virus, but tomorrow they may catch it, so the active COVID tests are only useful for the day the sample was taken. It's useless an hour after the sample is taken. But if they have antibodies, it seems they may be safe for a period of time.
It seems the news is missing this, or they certainly don't talk about it much. All they seem to say is 'we need more testing' to be sure we're safe to open. But it seems to me without the other part of the picture (antibodies to indicate if you already had Covid), then we don't have the information needed.
Even these NHPR graphs don't have this data. Is it because the antibody tests are to new? Or do you think there is a reason why they are ignoring this?
Yes. we all know that no one yet can say how long these antibodies will protect someone (if at all).
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The short answer is that there are a multitude of companies making antibody tests and many have been unreliable. The FDA now requires that the tests be approved. We’ll see how that works out.
That’s the short answer.
The public is getting “testing” fatigue. Eyes glaze over at the mention of “ we need more testing.” The truth, as I see it, is we do need more testing but very few medical explainers have been clear enough so the average person understands. Some have.
At this point, unless you have the ( almost certainly mistaken) belief that we are anywhere near herd immunity, antibody tests are somewhat less important to opening. What is more important is community random sampling to learn what part of the population really are asymptomatic carriers and contact tracing to be able to identify hot spots of activity. The test for these things are the somewhat standard tests used which is what the state offers...to see if you have the infection at that moment.
But very,very few places have the capacity or the will to do what should be done to safely reopen. We are all guinea pigs.
Well, I’ve probably glazed over a few eyes by now.