Programs focused on detecting COVID-19 cases among residents of nursing homes and nursing home employees should use a mix of polymerase chain reaction tests, the gold standard for detecting current infection, and low-cost, easy-to-use serology tests that can detect the presence of antibodies indicating past infection, according to an op-ed co-authored by Michael Mina, assistant professor of epidemiology and a researcher with the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Published by Project Syndicate on June 1, 2020, the op-ed noted that finding whether antibodies are present is not enough to gauge future risk of infection and suggested that “hospitals, clinics, and public health programs should use quantitative rather than qualitative (positive/negative) antibody tests as much as possible, and report results directly to the public-health authorities.” Researchers can then analyze the data to understand what levels of antibodies are needed to protect against second COVID-19 infections, and how long the antibodies provide such protection.
The op-ed also noted that in the context of nursing homes, data from antibody tests can help guide the placement of nursing home residents into more protective social and eating groups if a second wave of COVID-19 hits.
Read the Project Syndicate op-ed: Saving the Most Vulnerable from COVID-19