ALBANY, N.Y. - The Department of Health announced that they have developed an anti-body test that will allow the state to determine who has already caught COVID-19 and could theoretically return to work.

But what makes this test different than the ones already out there?

"Our test measures the immunoglobulin gene saying that they had the infection and it's been resolved," says Dr. Howard Zucker, the Commissioner of Health for New York State.

 

 

To break it down a little more simply, the tests developed by the state will target antibodies showing that a person has caught COVD-19 and recovered. The FDA has approved other antibody tests, but Dr. Zucker explained these tests target different antibodies that make it harder to determine if a person still has COVID-19.

However, there is still no definitive proof that a person can catch COVID-19 and be immune from catching again. Dr. Zucker says it is very unlikely.

"Usually when you have a virus you develop antibodies you don’t get it again. There was one report out of China where they suggested there may be some cases but that hasn’t been confirmed yet."

Once the antibody tests from the State Health Department are approved by the FDA, the state wants to work with labs to start manufacturing these tests at a higher scale.