Antibody testing.

A lot of people experienced Coronavirus symptoms before the government introduced testing for nhs/ care workers and essential workers as standard recently and the only way to get a test was if you were admitted to hospital. With the government keen to introduce a tracing app that would require people to isolate for 14 days when they have been exposed to someone with the virus shouldn’t antibody testing be rolled out in the first instance to people who contacted 111 and their GP surgeries with possible cases and cross reference with those who are nhs/ care workers/ essential workers and get them tested first to see if they did indeed have the virus. If they then have possible immunity. If they would like to donate plasma for other patients in hospital. Before rolling out the antibody testing as a free for all. Some people like myself in early March fell through the cracks just as governments changed testing guidelines and may never now (hopefully) ever show symptoms again but will always wonder. If nothing else this gives us answers. It’s also fantastic for government to know the spread of the virus and when. It gets us back to work. As yes we may not know how long immunity will last but it can help make informed choices.

Why the contribution is important

We need methodical testing of people for antibodies not just to see spread of virus but in order to help make decisions about we move forward. The tests shouldn’t be wasted in the first instance by those who can afford them.

by Lasteele on May 06, 2020 at 05:12PM

Current Rating

Average rating: 4.8
Based on: 25 votes

Comments

  • Posted by NicholaHepburn May 06, 2020 at 20:47

    It would better inform the government as to where we exactly are with numbers in this outbreak. This would allow many people to get back to some normality, help the economy.

  • Posted by Graumach May 06, 2020 at 21:37

    I agree, if we know who has antibodies we'll know how many have had it and those who have could assist with research if they chose. Also it would enable further data to be collected. I do not agree that affording ones own test should come into it.

  • Posted by AudFish May 06, 2020 at 21:55

    Why are we not already on with this.......? Surely it's a necessity rather than a suggestion?

  • Posted by JohnM543 May 06, 2020 at 23:18

    We clearly don't currently understand how many people have been infected & what the true mortality rate of this disease is. A study to establish the true extent of the spread of this disease in Scotland is essential. There now is a reliable test & we should be testing a statistically significant number of the population to establish this.

  • Posted by StarrySkye May 06, 2020 at 23:38

    Should be a top priority to ensure Scotland is quick to purchase/secure reliable tests in quantities required

  • Posted by Dsel May 07, 2020 at 15:13

    Accurate anti-body tests need to be made available soonest. I've had 2 episodes of not being 100% but neither were the advertised symptoms. Research in USA has shown the symptoms I had as people testing positive. When restrictions are eased and if I've had it, I would feel a lot more comfortable returning to work (in a school where social distancing with young pupils will not work) and helping my elderly parents more (just now door step deliveries, quick chats from the gate etc as they've been isolating for weeks). I would be more than willing to donate plasma to help others.
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