What can an antibody study teach us about COVID-19?

The following article is an interview between Neeraj Sood  [Sood is lead investigator of the study discussed in the article USC-LA County Antibody Suggests True COVID-19 Infections Higher Than Official Count ] and Leigh Hopper. In it, Sood explains to us why it is important to conduct antibody studies vis-a-vis PCR tests. He also discusses about the selection process used for the study mentioned above. As well as the reliability of the testing kits they used.

Sood says that antibody testing could help determine how widely the coronavirus has spread, as well as the give a picture of the potential immunity of the population. Moreover, Sood adds, antibody testing would give us a more accurate mortality rate due to infection.

Editor’s Notes: If death rates were to include the results of antibody testing, case fatality rates around the world would decrease, hence giving us a more accurate picture of the  risk of COVID-19. It can guide government authorities in making the right decision on the strategy to adapt.