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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsA coronavirus antibody test that is more than 99% accurate is now cleared for emergency use
in the US, easing concerns of false positives that hindered earlier testsUS regulators authorized Sunday emergency use of a coronavirus antibody test that is more than 99% accurate, addressing concerns about high false positive rates that have plagued some of the first tests.
The test is made by Roche, a Swiss giant in the pharmaceutical and diagnostics industries. Roche said Sunday it will boost its manufacturing to produce "high double-digit millions per month" of the test.
Antibodies are proteins created by the body's immune system to fight invading threats, like viruses or bacteria. Antibody testing is seen by many as a critical step into reopening the economy. Some have floated ideas of using the tests to issue some form of "immunity passports," which could allow people with the antibodies to return to work.
Roche stated the test has a 100% sensitivity rating and a 99.8% specificity rating, which are significantly higher than some of the first antibody tests that were cleared for use in the US. The results came from using more than 5,000 samples on its test.
https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus-antibody-test-more-99-141057975.html
Iliyah
(25,111 posts)Shermann
(7,428 posts)Do we know how long the antibodies last? No
Do we know what, if any, protection the antibodies offer? No
I may as well have midi-chlorians.
Or is it hydroxy-midi-chlorians?
Beartracks
(12,821 posts)I thought the jury was still way out on that question.
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Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(108,192 posts)We don't know about reinfection yet.
LiberalArkie
(15,728 posts)Rstrstx
(1,399 posts)mopinko
(70,209 posts)who came out w a report that seeming reinfections were really false positives, and people are apparently immune.
that convalescent plasma seems to be effective is proof enough imho.
Igel
(35,356 posts)But China is the new country that can do no wrong and must be defended against Agent Orange, so let's just assume that they're really the same country.
mopinko
(70,209 posts)s korea likely to have more of all things tested, as they are drinking our milkshake on that count.
mopinko
(70,209 posts)be corruption and cronyism. if the rest of modern medical science and industry had failed this badly, there only would be about 10M living americans.
Laelth
(32,017 posts)-Laelth