BUFFALO, N.Y. — While the numbers have been improving, it's clear that Western New York needs more testing to track the spread of the coronavirus.
Some of that ramped up this week, in particular at the new drive-through testing site that started taking people by appointment only at the Walden Avenue Walmart.
These are tests to see who has the virus, but Kaleida Health says now it's gotten so-called "rapid antibody" tests that are different.
Kaleida's chief medical officer explained: "The antibody test is basically measuring your body's response to having been exposed to the virus at minimum two to three weeks ago. So your body develops antibodies to the virus fights it off, and now you have the remnants of your body's ability to fight that virus off, called IE GG or GG antibody. We now have the ability to test for that antibody."
He says, though, that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not come up with any guidance yet on how exactly to use this antibody test, not until there's a vaccine, so there's isn't much benefit in testing people for the antibody at the moment.