Health Advisory: Health Officer Interim Recommendations for SARS-CoV2 Antibody Testing

Grays Harbor Public Health is aware that there is an increasing public interest in antibody testing for COVID-19.  At this time we are not recommending the use of antibody tests or providing guidance about how to interpret the results.

While increasingly available under FDA Emergency Use Authorization protocols, antibody tests are not recommended for making a diagnosis of COVID-19 or to reliably determine whether or not a patient has experienced a past infection with COVID-19.  It is not yet known whether infection with COVID-19 confers long-term immunity; therefore, the medical significance of a positive or negative serology is unclear.

The preferred diagnostic test for COVID-19 is a PCR-based test to detect the presence of viral particles.  If the decision is made to order antibody testing, it is important to counsel patients about the limitations of currently available tests to avoid a false sense of security against future infection.  Patients with a positive COVID-19 serologic test should continue to consider themselves at risk of infection.

Any positive result for COVID-19, including a positive serologic test, is reportable to Public Health.

Please visit our website for the most current COVID-19 information at www.healthygh.org/covid19.