While tests for the coronavirus are in high demand, immunity tests to determine if a person is immune to the virus are also in high demand. Serology kits contain tests that search for antibodies in order to indicate immunity to the virus. These tests can determine if someone has been exposed to the virus in the past according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention via Business Insider.
The serology kits are able to detect the immune response by measuring the antibodies that one person’s body developed to fight the virus off. According to the site, experts say having more of these tests for people to take could allow American citizens to safely return to work again. This could also be beneficial to healthcare workers who are on the front line and are exposed to sick patients carrying the virus as well.
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Due to the Food and Drug Administration’s relaxed approval restrictions for the kits, different firms began developing their own internally or making deals with drugmakers overseas in order to provide more. The test is used by taking a drop of blood from a finger prick and will provide a person with their results within 15 minutes. Having these tests made readily available, could speed the process up and get people back to work. In the meantime, preventative measures towards helping slow the spread have been taken. Two ways that have become popular are wearing gloves and a face mask, but now some experts are saying those may not help at all.
“The glove itself is only as good as not touching your face with the glove,” Robert Almer, M.D., the Vice President for Government Affairs at New York Medical College and former CDC Chief Medical Officer said according to Good Housekeeping. “So, you know you can touch things with your hands, … and as long as you’ve washed your hands or use hand sanitizer afterwards, you’ve accomplished the same thing.” According to the Surgeon General, Jerome Adams, face masks won’t help protect the general public either because people are fidgeting with their masks which makes them touch their face and that’s how the virus spreads.
“If you’re going to wear a face covering, please save the N95 masks for healthcare workers who need them,” he said in an interview with Today before adding, “If you’re going to wear a face covering, please try not to touch your face. Please be very, very careful about making sure you don’t touch your face.”
