This archive report was first published on 11 May 2020.
As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers on the frontlines are taking a crucial step towards understanding their immunity. Stanford hospitals in northern California are offering antibody testing to their healthcare workers, providing them with a clear answer to whether they have coronavirus antibodies.
Exclusive access was granted to follow two caregivers, Heidi and Jamshid, as they underwent the antibody testing process. The process involves a swab to check for current infection, followed by a blood test to detect antibodies. The blood test, also known as serology, shows if the individual had coronavirus in the past and their immune system raised antibodies to fight it off.
Dr. Scott Boyd and his team developed the test, which has been ramped up quickly to process at least 4,000 samples a day. The team uses controls to validate their tests, ensuring accuracy. Preliminary data suggests that Heidi and Jamshid's negative antibody results are representative of the population in the Bay Area, where only a small fraction of people are testing positive for antibodies.
Heidi and Jamshid's results were negative, indicating they do not have the antibodies. This is a good thing, as it means personal protective equipment (PPE) works effectively. Heidi and Jamshid have been taking precautions, wearing PPE in multiple rooms with people with known COVID, and reusing or recycling their PPE.
While having antibodies is not a free pass, these tests are a crucial step towards understanding immunity. Dr. Boyd hopes to have a neutralizing antibody test ready by the end of May, which will give a better sense of who is actually immune.
