Covid-19: Mayo now has the capacity to process 10K antibody tests a day
Mayo Clinic Laboratories says it has the capacity to perform up to 10,000 serological tests a day for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.
That number is expected to increase further as more testing becomes available nationwide. At first, the delivery of serological tests, which are able to detect the presence of disease-fighting antibodies, is being limited to health care workers on the front lines of the outbreak.
“Our first focus has been making the test available to our providers that are taking care of patients with the disease, to see if they are potentially immune,” said Dr. Bill Morice, president of Mayo Clinic Laboratories.
The initial roll-out of the serological test has been intentionally gradual, said Morice, noting the need to, one, educate providers on how to use the test and, two, make sure the right people are getting it first.
Last Friday, however, Mayo took the first step toward opening the labs’ capabilities to other parts of the country. Morice said they are now actively looking to areas that need the testing the most.
“Clearly, at some point, this is going to be an important test for as many people as possible to get access to,” Morice said in an interview on Tuesday, “because this will really help us understand how Covid-19 has spread and how many people already have immunity to it.”
Federal and state officials have said that widespread use of the blood tests could be an important tool in determining how soon society can re-open. That’s because, unlike the molecular test that shows whether an individual has contracted the virus, the antibody test can tell whether a person has recovered from the disease and is potentially immune.
“If someone has a positive test, we then can presume that they have some level of immunity to the SARS-CoV-2 virus,” said Morice. “We don’t know how strong it is or how long it will last, but we know they have immunity.”
He added, “That’s really going to be the key for then understanding how we get people back to work and keep them safe from Covid-19.”
As more testing comes online, Morice said the next level of testing will focus on individuals who have recovered from the disease.
Researchers believe that once a person has recovered from Covid-19, their antibody-rich plasma can be donated to another individual to help them fight off the virus. This form of treatment, known as convalescent plasma therapy, is seen as a bridge to getting a vaccine developed.
Sean Baker is a Rochester journalist and the founder of Med City Beat.
