The New York Times: F.D.A. Approves First Coronavirus Antibody Test in U.S.

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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved a new test for Coronavirus antibodies. This new test, unlike current tests that test for fragments of viral genes present in the nose and throat, looks for protective antibodies in a finger prick of blood. The test delivers its results in 15 minutes. This tells doctors whether the patient has been exposed to the virus or has some degree of immunity. This represents a large step forward as it allows people who have some immunity to leave their homes safely. Nevertheless, having antibodies does not guarantee immunity from the coronavirus—the test only says whether the patient has antibodies, but not how the antibodies work. “This would probably be most useful for rapid testing of people in the clinic who are symptomatic, and not so much for asymptomatic or presymptomatic people,” said Dr. Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University in New York. For the full article, click here.

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