If you are getting depressed and fatigued from all the bad news out there, this new item should cheer you up. The FDA has approved an “antibody” blood test for the coronavirus.
The purpose of the antibody test is to determine if a person has been exposed to coronavirus in the past. It is not designed to test if a person has coronavirus, but a test to determine if a person had coronavirus. This provides scientists with more data and more options to develop treatments for patients battling coronavirus.
What are antibodies?
According to The Conversation: Antibodies recognize and bind proteins on the surface of virus particles. For each infection, the immune system designs antibodies that are highly specific for the particular invading pathogen.
Why is that important?
- Testing people to determine how many have had the virus, will provide more accurate numbers of the people that have had the virus and recover. Those numbers will impact the rate of death to the rate of infection numbers. This information will help the government and the medical community to scale their response to the virus.
- Antibody testing will provide more data for scientists to study whether a person that has had the virus is immune to or is still a carrier of the virus. It is not yet known how long after a person recovers the virus might still be present, but those studies are being done both here and in other countries.
- By identifying people that have had the virus and recovered, scientists can develop blood plasma treatments using blood donated by individuals with the coronavirus antibodies present to fight the virus. Those treatments can then be used to help infected people battle the coronavirus.
Blood plasma treatments
Blood plasma can be an important tool in fighting the coronavirus. It can be used to treat those who are already sick and it can be used to prevent the virus in those who are repeatedly exposed to the virus e.g. healthcare workers, doctors, nurses, and first-responders. And this
Blood plasma or “convalescent plasma” treatments have been used for over a hundred years in this country. According to Wayne A. Marasco of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston:
Convalescent plasma has a real role — this has been going on for over 100 years. We know this stuff works. If you do this right and harvest plasma from someone who has undergone infection, you can get protective antibodies that can be infused in other people.”
FDA emergency use authorization
The FDA has approved the Cellex Inc. antibody test under the emergency use authorization.
From FDA.gov on April 2:
To date, 25 emergency use authorizations have been issued for diagnostic tests. Notably, the FDA issued an emergency use authorization, on April 1, 2020, to Cellex Inc.’s qSARS-CoV-2 IgG/IgM Rapid Test which is the first serology test to date to receive authorization to test for the presence of coronavirus antibodies. Cellex’s labeling notes that test results from this serology test should not be used as the sole basis for diagnosis and can only aid in the diagnosis of patients in conjunction with a medical review of symptoms and results of other laboratory tests. Cellex’s test is also limited to laboratories certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) to perform moderate and high complexity tests.
FDA chief Dr. Stephen Hahn explains the new test:
JUST IN: @US_FDA announces approval of #COVID19 antibody test in @CBSNewsRadio interview. pic.twitter.com/zvWINTn3lK
— Steven Portnoy (@stevenportnoy) April 2, 2020
A question from our own @TocRadio:
“What percentage of the population do we suspect to be asymptomatic at this point? Is there a way to figure that out? It seems like the antibody test might be able to assist in determining that number.” pic.twitter.com/3TAAZ5fpPv
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 3, 2020
Dr. Deborah Birx of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, explains the use of the antibody test as part of the plan to get ahead of the coronavirus:
1,031 Responses
Hey, thanks for the article. Cool.
I needed to post you this little bit of remark to finally thank you once again regarding the awesome tricks you’ve shared at this time. It’s really extremely open-handed of people like you to provide publicly all most of us would have offered as an e-book in making some dough for themselves, most notably seeing that you could have tried it if you ever wanted. These good ideas as well served like the great way to be aware that other people online have the same eagerness much like mine to figure out good deal more in respect of this problem. Certainly there are many more enjoyable opportunities ahead for individuals that check out your blog.
Amazin!
Really enjoyed this article. Really Cool.
hey there and thanks for your information – I’ve definitely picked up something new from right here. I did on the other hand expertise some technical issues the use of this site, since I experienced to reload the website lots of occasions previous to I may get it to load properly. I have been thinking about if your web hosting is OK? No longer that I’m complaining, however sluggish loading circumstances instances will often impact your placement in google and can harm your high-quality rating if advertising and ***********|advertising|advertising|advertising and *********** with Adwords. Anyway I’m adding this RSS to my email and could glance out for a lot more of your respective fascinating content. Ensure that you replace this again soon..
Thanks for sharing, this is a fantastic article post.Really thank you! Want more.
Hi there, You have done an incredible job. I’ll definitely digg it and individually suggest to my friends. I am sure they’ll be benefited from this website.
Absolutely written written content , thankyou for information .
I have been surfing on-line greater than 3 hours lately, but I never found any interesting article like yours. It’s beautiful price sufficient for me. Personally, if all web owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the web shall be a lot more helpful than ever before. “Revolution is not a onetime event.” by Audre Lorde.
Major thanks for the article.Thanks Again. Fantastic.
I think this is among the most significant information for me. And i am glad reading your article. But should remark on few general things, The website style is wonderful, the articles is really nice : D. Good job, cheers
Awesome blog! Do you have any tips for aspiring writers? I’m planning to start my own website soon but I’m a little lost on everything. Would you advise starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are so many options out there that I’m completely confused .. Any ideas? Thank you!
Howdy! Do you know if they make any plugins to protect against hackers? I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked hard on. Any recommendations?
I’m very happy to read this. This is the kind of manual that needs to be given and not the random misinformation that’s at the other blogs. Appreciate your sharing this greatest doc.
A big thank you for your blog article.Really looking forward to read more. Really Cool.
I am not sure why however this web site will be launching very gradual for me. Is someone else having this difficulty or possibly that any issue in my end? I will check back down the road if ever the issue nonetheless is out there.
Thanks-a-mundo for the article. Fantastic.
Good to obtain visiting your page once more, it’s been years for me.
Great news once again!
A big thank you for your article post.Thanks Again. Really Great.
Thank you, I have recently been looking for information about this topic for ages and yours is the best I have discovered so far. But, what about the bottom line? Are you sure about the source?
Can I just say what a reduction to seek out somebody who truly is aware of what theyre speaking about on the internet. You definitely know tips on how to convey a problem to light and make it important. More individuals have to learn this and perceive this side of the story. I cant imagine youre not more widespread because you undoubtedly have the gift.
Great, thanks for sharing this article.Thanks Again. Really Cool.
This is one awesome blog.Really looking forward to read more. Fantastic.
Very good blog.Really thank you! Much obliged.
I’m not sure where you are getting your information, but great topic. I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more. Thanks for fantastic info I was looking for this info for my mission.
Im obliged for the post.Much thanks again. Will read on…
Hello. excellent job. I did not expect this. This is a excellent story. Thanks!
This design is incredible! You certainly know how to keep a reader entertained. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Great job. I really loved what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
Very informative blog article.Really thank you! Really Great.
I really liked your blog article. Cool.
Thank you for your blog post.Really looking forward to read more. Really Cool.
Major thankies for the blog post. Keep writing.
Major thankies for the blog post.Really thank you! Keep writing.
Very good blog. Want more.
I love reading your site.
Thanks again for the post.Thanks Again. Really Great.
I appreciate you sharing this article post.Thanks Again. Really Great.
Major thankies for the post.Thanks Again. Awesome.
I really like and appreciate your post.Really thank you! Keep writing.