New York to Begin Antibody Testing for Essential Workers
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New York State took an initial step on the long road back to normal life and began laying foundations for how the process will work, introducing an antibody test to identify medical personnel and other essential workers who have already had the coronavirus and have some immunity, Governor Andrew Cuomo said.
As the state’s coronavirus crisis starts to ebb and officials begin planning the massive undertaking of returning New York to a semblance of normality, they have begun putting in place initial goals and milestones. But with a shortage of testing capacity and a vaccine still as long as 18 months away, they are looking at a phased reopening based on two key factors: how “essential” a business is, and what its risk profile is for reigniting the spread of the virus.
A key element of the plan is to get testing up to speed, both for whether people have the virus and whether people once had it and have developed resistance. Initially, the test is being made available to first responders and other essential workers on the front lines of the battle against the virus.
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