Immunity Testing a Potential Route Back to Normalcy

Senator Bill Cassidy says the feds are drawing up plans to conduct mass coronavirus immunity testing as one way to expedite a return to normal life. Cassidy says for life to return to normal before a vaccine is created, we need to know who is and is not a potential coronavirus carrier.

“We document those people who have recovered from coronavirus infection, therefor they are immune so they can go out and wear a mask. If you are not immune, you would go out and wear a mask,” says Cassidy.

Immunity is thought to last for at least a year, meaning a person could interact with others without fear of getting sick or getting others sick.

Coronavirus testing kits may be in short supply, but Cassidy says potential nationwide antibody testing is feasible and is being pursued by the Trump Administration.

“Their goal is that our country has the ability to do 10 million a week in one to three months, to make this testing free, and to make it widespread,” says Cassidy.

Cassidy says outside of antibody testing it’s likely that in a few months you could begin allowing those under 30 without co-morbidities back out into the world because they rarely have severe symptoms.

“They probably can return to school and work but you would still want to monitor them carefully and when they became infected you would want to know it and ask them to stay home for a couple of weeks, and when they became immune you would want to know it,” says Cassidy.

(Story written by Matt Doyle/Louisiana Radio Network)