DES MOINES, Iowa — Increased coronavirus testing is playing a big role in Governor Reynolds' decision to re-open Iowa's economy, and its not just for those who are sick.
The majority of people who have gotten COVID-19 are considered asymptomatic, meaning they display little to no symptoms when they're infected.
On Thursday, state medical director Dr. Caitlin Pedati said nearly 80 percent of COVID-19 patients are considered asymptomatic to COVID-19 and when a person isn't aware they have it, they can easily spread the virus to others.
With any new virus, a serology test can help doctors and researchers learn more about it, like in the case of COVID-19 how the majority of people who get the infection fight off symptoms easier than others.
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"We need to understand if you detect those anti-bodies, are they working to protect you, we need to understand that and how long do they work to protect you because we know there are some diseases that you can be immune for a lifetime and others where it may last only a couple months or somewhere in between," Pedati said.
Those anti-bodies have proven to help patients even here in Iowa recover faster using covelecent plasma. And they're also the focus of vaccine research around the world as the race to find an answer to the pandemic on record pace with ongoing clinical trials well underway.
Serology testing isn't broad.
Right now Gov. Reynolds said they're focused on using the method at meat processing facility's and long term care centers where outbreaks have occurred.
Also, be aware of sites selling COVID-19 anti-body tests online for you to use at home as they are not considered legitimate, and it's still not known whether people who recover from COVID-19 can get it again.
Hopefully that tip will save you from wasting hundreds of dollars.