COVID-19 antibody tests helpful if accurate, Chicago medical director says
CHICAGO (WLS) -- A lot of hope is being placed on antibody tests in the fight against COVID-19.
They are being used to tell if a person has already been infected with the disease, and, in theory, would be immune.
Dr. Eric Mizuno, Medical Director, OMNI Medical Student Training Program, joined ABC 7 Chicago Wednesday morning to talk about local antibody tests.
Testing began Wednesday morning at a tent on the corner of Ashland and Fullerton avenues in Lincoln Park.
RELATED: Coronavirus testing: Chicago's first COVID-19 antibody testing site opens in Lincoln Park
The results, if accurate, could play an important role in resuming normal life.
The group providing the test says it's available to anyone that is feeling well and has not had any symptoms of COVID-19 in the last 14 days.
"The serology test will show IGG antibodies, which tells us that they have encountered the virus before and we feel that this is protective of the patient, causing some type of immunity," said Dr. Rahul Khare, ER doctor and CEO of Innovative Express Care.
But Mizuno and other health experts say there are questions about antibody tests' accuracy because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration hasn't yet vetted them.
In response to the growing outcry, the FDA announced government scientists will begin reviewing data on some of the antibody tests to see if they actually work.
