(AP Photo / Paul Sancya)
PHOENIX – While the positivity rate for diagnostic testing of COVID-19 is trending downward in Arizona, the opposite is happening for antibody testing. But an infection specialist in Tucson considered that to be normal.
“As we continue in this outbreak, our antibody numbers will continue to climb as they should, as more and more people add to that pool positive COVID-19,” said Dr. Sean Elliott, who exercises at the Banner University Medical Center.
Antibody testing, also known as serology testing, determines if a person has had the coronavirus at some point in time. Meanwhile, a test to diagnose COVID-19 determines if a person currently has the disease.
The latest state data shows the weekly positivity figures for COVID-19 testing at around 6% and for antibody testing it is almost 15%. The diagnostic weekly positive rate peaked at 20% the week of 28. The positive rate of antibody that week was 7.2%.
Elliott said the positivity rates for antibody testing will continue to climb.
“At some point, if we do not have an effective vaccine for COVID-19, it is likely that the percentage of antibody tests that are positive in Arizona will climb to well over 50%,” he said.
A vaccine being tested in the United States is in its third phase. The company that produced it, Moderna, was looking for 30,000 volunteers to participate in the trial.
Three research clinics in the Valley and one in Tucson are among the 87 clinics nationwide that perform vaccine tests.
Elliott said individuals participating in that trial are perfect candidates for an antibody test. He said researchers want to make sure participants are not infected with COVID-19 before they can get the vaccine.
“It does not make sense to get the vaccine if you already had the infection, as this may confuse the results,” he added.
As for anyone else getting an antibody test, Elliott said he “does not recommend anyone” go out and get the test because it really does not make sense in terms of my own personal risk of the disease or being contagious. “
“That the clinical use of the antibody test for a patient is zero,” he added. “That said, it’s incredibly important as an epidemiology tool to understand how many in Arizona have the infection.”
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