CA Preliminary Antibody Testing Results Suggest Higher Number of Infected

 

 

 

Two research teams in California started the first large scale community testing for Covid 19 antibodies The testing of 3,300 people in Santa Clara County found that 2.5 to 4.2% of those tested were positive for antibodies — a number suggesting a far higher past infection rate than the official count. Based on the initial data, researchers estimate that the range of people who may have had the virus to be between 48,000 and 81,000 in the county of 2 million — as opposed to the approximately 1,000 in the county’s official tally at the time the samples were taken.
While the initial findings suggest that the number of those infected is much higher, it also means the fatality rate is lower than originally thought. As more tests are done, we’ll have a better idea of how many were infected and what the fatality rate is. The results also suggest more research and analysis is needed to know how many people who tested positive for antibodies never knew they had the virus because they had no symptoms.
Antibody testing has been touted by public health experts and governors in many states that have extended stay at home orders, as a tool to help determine when Americans can get back to normal life. The tests can determine not just whether someone has recovered but whether a person has been exposed to the virus in the past.
While there is no guarantee of total, long-term immunity even if a person has antibodies, doctors hope that those who do have them may have some degree of immunity protection. Experts hope that could be a tool to help determine who could potentially more safely re-enter the workforce — and just as importantly — when. Public health experts are calling for more antibody tests and, until the U.S. has more widespread testing and contact tracing, say they still believe social distancing is a cornerstone to controlling the pandemic.
States across the US have extended stay at home orders and many have said they can safely reopen once they have the capability to do widespread antibody testing. Scientists say the tests will be critical in the weeks and months ahead, when they may be used for disease surveillance, therapeutics, return-to-work screenings, and more. But the tests must be deployed appropriately, they added, and with an acknowledgment of unanswered questions.