Quest Diagnostics' coronavirus antibody test is first available for purchase online
For $119, you can learn about your exposure to coronavirus
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For $119, you can now purchase a Quest Diagnostics coronavirus antibody test online to find out if you've been exposed to the virus, although the test requires individuals to have blood drawn at a Quest patient service center.
IS THE CORONAVIRUS ANTIBODY TEST KEY TO REOPENING THE ECONOMY?
"While the science on COVID-19 is evolving, testing for antibodies may identify people who have likely been exposed to COVID-19 and might have mounted an immune response to the virus," Quest's chief medical officer Dr. Jay Wohlgemuth said in a statement. "Our goal is to empower individuals and their physicians to make informed decisions about their risk of infection and of spreading the virus."
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DGX | QUEST DIAGNOSTICS INC. | 154.23 | -1.16 | -0.75% |
Individuals who buy the test online can schedule a blood draw at one of Quest's 2,200 patient centers. They're required to be coronavirus symptom-free for at least 10 days and wear a face mask.
Test results are available one to two days after the blood draw and come with a simple online report.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has already started coronavirus antibody testing, which determines whether someone has had the virus in the past, to piece together a picture of how many Americans may have already been infected.
Stephen Rusckowski, CEO of Quest Diagnostics, speaks about the coronavirus in the Rose Garden of the White House, Monday, April 27, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Scaling up antibody testing is critical to re-opening the economy, said Dr. Tania Dempsey of Armonk Integrative Medicine, who practices in hard-hit Westchester County, New York.
"It is becoming more evident that there is a significant portion of the population who were exposed to COVID-19 but remain asymptomatic," Dempsey told FOX Business earlier in April. "These patients remain in isolation concerned about their exposure to this dangerous virus when, in fact, these patients have antibodies indicating they have already had the infection and have immunity to it now."
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