Answering Fresno-area reader questions about coronavirus: How long till antibody tests?
As coronavirus continues to upend life in the central San Joaquin Valley, The Fresno Bee is here to answer your pandemic-related questions. While we’ve tried to address many of them in our regular coverage, in such a complex and evolving story some topics can slip through the cracks.
When the answers require information that isn’t readily available, we will solicit input from public officials and health experts.
Questions can be emailed to news@fresnobee.com or left at 559-441-6330. Instructions on how to submit news tips and documents can be found at fresnobee.com/news/investigative-tips.
When will antibody testing be available to the public? We suspect we have had the virus and simply stayed at home as symptoms were manageable. It would sure be nice to know if that was true. Deborah I. of Clovis
Many who’ve been ill recently share those suspicions, which could be confirmed or disproved by antibody tests that are being rolled out in the Bay Area and Los Angeles.
Rather than COVID-19 itself, serological tests detect protective antibodies to the virus in someone’s blood stream. This reveals whether that person has been previously infected — and may be immune to future infection.
Fresno County health officials say they recognize the value of antibody tests and have been in contact with colleagues at the California Department of Public Health about bringing them here. However, there’s no precise timeline for when that might happen.
“We’re not ready to offer it just today,” interim health officer Rais Vohra said. “I’m hoping in the next few days to weeks we will start to, and we’re certainly learning a lot from our partners and colleagues in other cities that are starting to look at these different testing modalities and seeing how they fit.”
Are COVID-19 patients being sent to skilled nursing facilities in Fresno? If so, why expose patients and staff to unnecessary risks? Matt of Fresno
While discussed as a possibility in other regions if hospitals see an overload, Assistant Public Health Director David Luchini said he “is not aware” of this happening in Fresno County.
State guidelines require hospitals to coordinate with their local health departments before transferring COVID-19 patients to a skilled nursing facility, Luchini added.
There have been two “isolated cases” at Fresno County assisted living facilities but neither resulted in an outbreak, Vohra said.
That’s a stark contrast to Tulare County, where 112 people at the Redwood Springs Health Center in Visalia have tested positive for COVID-19.
When will there be more than one county operated testing center so there isn’t so much potential exposure for patients at one facility? Stan N. of Fresno
It does not sound like the county is planning to open additional test centers besides the one at the Department of Public Health in downtown Fresno. However, local hospitals and urgent care centers are offering drive-thru tests, which should limit exposure. (The new lab at Fresno State will process tests, but it isn’t a testing center.)
“We’re at a point where we really want to work with a patient who wants to get tested,” Vohra said. “It should be within access to anyone.”
How many confirmed cases are in Huron? Ruben D. of Huron
Huron (estimated population 7,288) had seven of the 222 positive COVID-19 cases reported by county health officials Monday afternoon.
