Hospital systems begin testing for COVID-19 antibodies

The biggest hospital system in Michigan is launching large-scale testing for coronavirus antibodies. Beaumont Health, headquartered in Royal Oak, will test its 38,000 employees, in addition to patients and affiliates of the system. In Texas, Christus Health System, based in Irving, announced it is also using antibody testing to screen patients and staff for COVID-19. The Food and Drug Administration relaxed regulations to make antibody tests, which are needed to inform public health decisions, available in hospitals and other health care facilities. The Association of Public Health Laboratories reports some of the tests rushed to market are inaccurate. Leaders at Beaumont and Christus said they took steps to validate the antibody tests they are using. Christus found its tests to be 90% accurate in both negative and positive cases.