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Public Health England approved an antibody test, conducted by the pharmaceutical company Roche, which can now be used to determine how much of the population has been infected with Covid-19.
Antibody tests could be very useful as the country emerges from the blockade, since the presence of antibodies against the virus in a person’s blood shows that they have had it. However, if the person is immune and, if so, how long that immunity lasts, there are still very open questions.
The test is likely to be used to determine if particular areas of the country, or people in certain professions, have had Covid-19, but it will not give people an immunity passport so they can restart their social lives.
This Roche antibody test is not the homemade finger prick test that created a wave of excitement when Professor Sharon Peacock of Public Health England told a committee of MPs on March 25 that it would be available for purchase in a matter of days. . The University of Oxford was testing various versions of the home antibody tests, which at the time look like pregnancy tests. All, however, did not reach the norm. The best ones were said to be 70% accurate and most not more than 50%. Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who had bought 3 million of them, was said to be seeking a refund of the government money.
Roche’s test was approved in early May by the EU and by the US Food and Drug Administration. USA as 99.8% specific for Covid-19, so it is not confused with the antibodies against other coronavirus that cause colds, and it is 100% sensitive, so it will detect the antibodies that are present. It will work on blood samples taken by a healthcare professional at least 14 days after the person developed Covid-19.
The Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 serological test is processed in laboratories that use Roche analyzers that hospitals already have. Roche says its fully automated systems can provide results in approximately 18 minutes for a single test, with the ability to do 300 tests per hour, depending on the analyzer.
Professor John Newton, national coordinator of the UK coronavirus testing program, told the Telegraph that experts from PHE’s Porton Down Labs had evaluated the test and confirmed 100% accuracy.
“This is a very positive development, because such a highly specific antibody test is a very reliable marker of past infections,” he said. “This in turn may indicate some immunity to future infections, although the extent to which the presence of antibodies indicates immunity remains unclear,” Newton said.
Scientists hope to obtain invaluable data on the spread of the pandemic through mass antibody testing, which could reveal how many people have had the virus but without experiencing any symptoms. Looking at those particular groups will help in the search for vaccines and treatments.
Roche, based in Switzerland, already has orders from around the world, following approval from the US. USA And the granting by the EU of a CE kite mark. “It had already begun shipping the new antibody test to leading global laboratories and will increase production capacity to double-digit millions per month to serve health systems in countries that accept CE marking.as well as the United States, “he said in a statement on May 3.
Roche is deeply committed to supporting the global response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Timely availability and quick access to reliable, high-quality tests are essential for healthcare systems, “Dr. Thomas Schinecker, CEO of Roche Diagnostics, told The Guardian.
“Antibody testing is an important step in the fight against Covid-19, and the Roche antibody test can be quickly scaled and made available to everyone, as more than 40,000 of our instruments are already in use in many testing laboratories. all the world”.
