When will we reopen the country? Antibody testing may help officials decide, experts say
April 10, 2020 / Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY
As officials begin to discuss when they can lift stay-at-home orders, companies are rushing to develop coronavirus antibody tests that could help them make those decisions without risking a second wave of infections.
Leading the fight against COVID-19, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Friday morning on CNN that antibody testing can show who has developed immunity to the coronavirus and can safely go back to work without getting reinfected.
“As we get to the point of at least considering opening up the country, as it were, it’s very important to appreciate and understand how much this virus is penetrating this society,” he said.
How would antibody tests factor into decisions to lift social distancing orders, and how reliable are those tests? Here’s everything you need to know about antibody testing.
