COVID-19 Antibody Tests: Is It Worth Waiting for Certainty?
Author: Beomhyeok Lee
A new perspective piece published in the New England Journal of Medicine criticizes waiting for accurate COVID-19 antibody testing. Governments around the world are slowly starting to “reopen their economies” and require antibody testing for workers returning to work. These antibody tests are creating lots of uncertainty about their accuracy and duration. The WHO has received criticism for putting off the antibody testing certification process in suspension, which has resulted in severe costs and health consequences.
Working with incomplete information in the medical field is not an uncommon practice; balancing negative consequences against benefits happens more often. It is argued that four independent factors should be considered when using antibody testing as a rationale for allowing people to return to work. The four factors include the understanding of the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the general population, the understanding of serologic antibodies test sensitivity, our beliefs regarding how antibodies confer immunity, and consideration for potential mistakes caused by false results. Based on these factors, important ethical questions arise regarding the rights of equal access to employment, freedom to socialize, privacy, and discrimination against vulnerable groups. The wait for certainty on COVID-19 antibody testing brings too many costs, and this problem should be addressed in a timely manner.
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Figure 4. A health worker handles a coronavirus swab test at a drive-thru testing center for COVID-19 at Lehman College on in the Bronx, N.Y., March 28, 2020. (John Moore—Getty Images)
Article title: Waiting for Certainty on Covid-19 Antibody Tests — At What Cost? https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmp2017739
