Immunity tests: how do they work and when will they be ready?
New ‘simple’ antibody tests are seen as vital to understanding spread of Covid-19
Millions of tests that can detect whether a person has ever been infected with coronavirus will be available “within weeks”, according to The Times.
Robert Jenrick, the housing and communities secretary, said: “It will be a very simple one to use and it will be similar to taking a pregnancy test.”
Jenrick’s comments came as the government announced a £20m investment to study and better understand the spread of Covid-19.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Last week, the Prime Minister said that a “game-changing” test that can identify people who have been infected and consequently now have immunity was close to being developed.
How does the test work?
According to The Sun, the new test “goes further than the current method which only diagnoses those who are currently infected with the disease”.
The existing test “detects the virus’ genetic material in oral or nasal swabs”, says Wired. This means that it is highly effective, but “only returns a positive result when the virus is still present in the body”.
The magazine adds that the new test uses “serological testing”, meaning it will tell doctors if a person crossed paths with the coronavirus weeks or even months ago – sometimes without knowing.
This, Wired reports, will mean we can start to collect figures “modelling the spread of Covid-19”, so the government can “make accurate public health decisions”.
Lack of testing is said to be hampering efforts to free up beds for coronavirus patients, with some hospitals reporting that care homes are refusing to accept discharged patients unless they have been tested for the virus, according to Health Service Journal.
Commenting on the new test, Boris Johnson said: “The great thing about having a test to see whether you’ve had it, is suddenly a green light goes on above your head and you can go back to work safe and confident in the knowledge that you are most unlikely to get it again.”
When will the new tests arrive?
Wired reports that dozens of prospective serological test kits for Covid-19 have been developed all around the globe since the start of February.
Details on the latest test, the magazine says, from Icahn School of Medicine in New York City, were published just two days ago.
In Singapore and South Korea, serological tests have already been used on a large scale in national surveillance programmes that are likely to give scientists the first population data on just how widespread Covid-19 has been within a particular nation.
Speaking at the daily Downing Street press conference last Thursday, Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser, said Public Health England’s work on the antibody test is “progressing very fast”, said ITV.
Following the Prime Minister’s promise last week to ramp up testing in hospitals to 25,000 a day, Jenrick told the BBC that the government had ordered “millions” of the serological testing kits, adding that they will be available “in the coming weeks”.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The history of Donald Trump's election conspiracy theories
The Explainer How the 2024 Republican nominee has consistently stoked baseless fears of a stolen election
By David Faris Published
-
Two ancient cities have been discovered along the Silk Road
Under the radar The discovery changed what was known about the old trade route
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
'People shouldn't have to share the road with impaired drivers'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
What is the next Tory leader up against?
Today's Big Question Kemi Badenoch or Robert Jenrick will have to unify warring factions and win back disillusioned voters – without alienating the centre ground
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is Lammy hoping to achieve in China?
Today's Big Question Foreign secretary heads to Beijing as Labour seeks cooperation on global challenges and courts opportunities for trade and investment
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Bob Woodward's War: the explosive Trump revelations
In the spotlight Nobody can beat Watergate veteran at 'getting the story of the White House from the inside'
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Trump kept up with Putin, sent Covid tests, book says
Speed Read The revelation comes courtesy of a new book by Bob Woodward
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'The federal government's response to the latest surge has been tepid at best'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Is Britain about to 'boil over'?
Today's Big Question A message shared across far-right groups listed more than 30 potential targets for violence in the UK today
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
UK's Starmer slams 'far-right thuggery' at riots
Speed Read The anti-immigrant violence was spurred by false rumors that the suspect in the Southport knife attack was an immigrant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden tests positive for Covid in fresh blow to campaign
Speed Read The president said he would consider dropping out of the race if presented with a "medical condition"
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published