The CDC has recently issued guidance indicating that up to nearly one half of antibody tests are inaccurate.
While early indications are that having antibodies offers some protection against reinfection, the CDC said too little is known about antibodies to determine whether it is safe for a person to no longer need to conduct social distancing. Additionally, the CDC said that a positive test should not be used at this time to determine if an individual is immune.
The CDC added, “Serologic test results should not be used to make decisions about grouping persons residing in or being admitted to congregate settings, such as schools, dormitories, or correctional facilities.”
The CDC said that it recommends providers use multiple antibody tests on patients, and it obtains the most accurate tests available.
The CDC said that the prevalence of those testing positive for antibodies among the general population is between 5 and 25, with higher figures coming from areas with localized outbreaks.
The FDA has also warned that all antibody tests can produce false results, and that “broad use of the tests, when not appropriately informed by other relevant information, such as clinical history or diagnostic test results, could identify too many false-positive individuals.”
