Sanford gears up for antibody testing
April 29, 2020
Sanford Health is preparing to perform up to 1,200 tests a day for COVID-19 antibodies.
Sanford’s laboratory in Sioux Falls has equipment in place to process antibody tests, the system said in a statement. Internal processes and trial runs are being finalized before the antibody tests roll out across the health system in the coming weeks.
“We are committed to staying on the leading edge of patient care, technology and information during this COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Allison Suttle, chief medical officer for Sanford Health. “Antibody testing is another way for us to learn about this new virus, share information with our colleagues and better understand what this means for individuals and communities.”
Antibody testing is one way to determine who has been infected with a disease. That will be particularly helpful with COVID-19 as a number of patients who are infected will never develop symptom, Sanford said. Antibody testing also can lead to knowledge on whether people can be infected multiple times with COVID-19.
Antibody tests determine previous infection through a simple blood test. Antibodies are produced by a person’s immune system to attack a virus. It is important to remember that this test is not for determining if someone is currently ill, Sanford said.
The health system said it will announce additional details as the testing becomes available.
