Sedgwick County commissioners have delayed a decision on whether to provide antibody testing for the coronavirus.
The county’s health officer, Dr. Garold Minns, told commissioners that he has talked with other health officials in Wichita and Kansas City and they have no confidence in the testing. He said it’s not known how they would be used, and the tests cannot determine if someone has immunity from COVID-19. Dr. Minns said the tests have not been validated by independent labs, and it would not be a good use of taxpayer money to fund a test where doctors would not know what the results mean.
County commissioners plan more discussions at their June 17th meeting. The county is calling residents at random this week to set up appointments for nasal swab testing. This program is intended to get an idea of the spread of coronavirus across the county.
