Washington, DC - March 27, 2020 - As we enter the second quarter of the COVID-19 pandemic, with testing for SARS-CoV-2 increasingly available (though still limited and slow in some areas), clinicians and public health officials are faced with new questions and challenges regarding testing for this novel virus. Since SARS-CoV-2 is a new virus, there is little evidence to fall back on for test utilization and diagnostic stewardship. New research published in mBio, an open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, addresses the potential uses of two main types of tests.
ASM convened a summit of coronavirus experts on Monday, March 23rd, who summarized the value and potential uses of two types of tests for SARS-CoV-2, nucleic acid amplification tests for viral RNA and antibody detection tests. The authors, including ASM CEO Stefano Bertuzzi and ASM President Robin Patel, also spoke at a press conference the following day and offered recommendations and limitations for both types of tests.