Coronavirus Antibody Tests Still Not Accurate Enough: CDC
Coronavirus antibody test results may not be accurate enough to help guide decisions about whether to allow large groups of people to gather at work, schools, dormitories, correctional facilities and other locations, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.
The agency also said too little is known about what the presence of antibodies means in terms of a person’s future immunity, CBS News reported.
Antibody tests, also called serologic tests, are meant to determine if a person has antibodies to the new coronavirus after being infected.
Widespread, accurate antibody testing could help track the spread of the new coronavirus and the actual death rate from COVID-19, but the CDC said research on antibodies produced in response to the new coronavirus is still ongoing and people who test positive for the antibodies shouldn’t assume they have immunity against the coronavirus, CBS News reported.
Everyone — including those who’ve tested positive for antibodies or have had the coronavirus — should continue to follow preventative measures such as social distancing, proper hygiene and the use of personal protective equipment, the CDC advised.
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