Chester County Launches 'Full Scale' Antibody Testing

CHESTER COUNTY, PA — Chester County has officially launched "full scale" antibody testing for certain essential workers, becoming the first county in Pennsylvania and one of the first in the nation to do so. The tests determine individuals who have developed antibodies to coronavirus after being infected, and thus possibly have additional protection against it.

The county originally announced its antibody testing plans back on April 6. The program officially launched last Friday, May 8. Chester County Commissioner Marian Moskowitz said that the program met with "road blocks" from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, which is the reason it is only getting underway now.

"Instead of channeling our efforts into getting the tests up and running, we have had to focus our energy on overcoming the red tape," she said.

The program is now active at two locations, the Chester County Public Safety Training Campus in South Coatesville, and Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square. At this time, the testing is only for first responders and long-term care facility workers.

By determining which essential workers have antibodies, officials have more information at their disposal when determining who to send where.

"I am delighted that Chester County can put its testing program into place," State Sen. Andy Dinniman said in a statement. "The commissioners should be praised for leading the state of Pennsylvania in deploying antibody, point-of-contact testing."

The pin-prick test was made by Chester County-based company Advaite. Results take about 30 minutes to come back. They are then validated and are reported back to the test taker within eight hours.

The strength of coronavirus antibodies remains a subject of debate in the medical community. Officials stressed the test is not a replacement for general coronavirus testing in the community, but is rather a tool to inform policy. "The more we know, the more we can plan to open Chester County in a way that balances safety with our business and economic needs," Moskowitz added.

Additionally, county is currently exploring doing nasal swab testing in nursing homes, and looking at how they can help supply healthcare facilities that need more tests.