Key Stanford Coronavirus Antibody Test Nears Release: Report

STANFORD, CA — Stanford University could play a part in getting the battered United States economy back on its feet.

That’s according a San Francisco Chronicle report that says a blood test developed at Stanford that can tell whether a person has had the new coronavirus – and would likely have at least some degree of immunity – could be released in a matter of days.

The Stanford antibody test is among several being developed nationwide and at least two in the Bay Area. UCSF is also nearing the release of an antibody test, the Chronicle reports.

The FDA approved the first such test, developed by North Carolina-based Cellex, on April 2, The New York Times reports.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, America’s top infectious disease expert, expressed a high degree of confidence that COVID-19 patients who recover will have immunity from the disease in an interview on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.

“If this virus acts like every other virus that we know, once you get infected, get better, clear the virus, then you’ll have immunity that will protect you against reinfection,” Fauci said.

Antibody testing will be crucial to reopening the United States’ economy, according to an Axios report.

The Chronicle report cites a statement by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday that says a test made in California was “hours” from FDA approval.

Stanford Medicine spokeswoman Lisa Kim confirmed that two antibody tests are in development.

Stanford researchers took blood samples from approximately 3,200 volunteers in Santa Clara County on Friday and Saturday according to The Stanford Daily.

The test will show whether someone has been infected with the virus, including those who experienced mild or no symptoms, Stanford Associate Professor of Medicine Eran Bendavid told The Stanford Daily.

“It’s hard to stand up in this epidemic and say, ‘Look, we really don’t know if this epidemic is impending Armageddon,’” Bendavid said. “In order to know and reduce that uncertainty, you need numbers.”

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