CDC: Coronavirus antibody tests still not accurate enough

(HealthDay)—Coronavirus antibody test results may not be accurate enough to help guide decisions about whether to allow large groups of people to gather at work, schools, dormitories, correctional facilities, and other locations, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.

The agency also said too little is known about what the presence of antibodies means in terms of a person's future immunity, CBS News reported.

Widespread, accurate antibody testing could help track the spread of the new coronavirus and the actual death rate from COVID-19, but the CDC said research on antibodies produced in response to the new coronavirus is still ongoing and people who test positive for the antibodies should not assume they have immunity against the new coronavirus, CBS News reported.

Everyone—including those who have tested positive for antibodies or who have had COVID-19—should continue to follow preventive measures such as social distancing, proper hygiene, and the use of personal protective equipment, the CDC advised.

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