The Challenges of Antibody Testing

Across the United States, governors are weighing the difficult question of when, and how, to begin to lift lockdown restrictions. Without federal coordination, some are looking abroad to see what has worked in countries like New Zealand, Australia and South Korea, which have effectively controlled the spread of the virus. The answer? Widespread testing. Guest: Katie Thomas, a business reporter covering the health care industry for The Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily.

Background reading:

• How flawed diagnostic tests, scarce supplies and limited access to screening have hurt the United States’ ability to monitor Covid-19.
• Antibody tests have been hailed as a way to identify a person’s immunity to the virus and reopen the economy. But when a team of scientists worked around the clock to evaluate 14 antibody tests, only a few worked as advertised.

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