Study: Bronx has highest percentage of people with antibodies, with more than 27%

This weekend, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the results of a COVID-19 antibody study, which showed that in New York City almost 20% of those tested had antibodies.

News 12 Staff

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May 5, 2020, 1:32 AM

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Updated 1,468 days ago

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This weekend, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the results of a COVID-19 antibody study, which showed that in New York City almost 20% of those tested had antibodies.

Out of 15,000 people who completed antibody testing as part of the study, the Bronx had the highest percentage of people with antibodies, at more than 27%.

Brooklyn and Staten Island were the next highest at 19%.

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Dr. Ramon Tallaj is the founder and chairman of SOMOS Community Care. They are offering a free antibody test.

"We are doing this test on top of the three rules. Have a positive test, three days without a fever, then take the test. We don't use the test for diagnosis,” said Tallaj.

He says it’s just a finger prick and results are available in 15 minutes. He says the goal is to tell whether someone has had COVID-19 and recovered. It can be especially important for first responders, to know when they can return to work.

Dr. Tallaj says large samples of data can also be helpful for when a vaccine comes out. However, even then, he says studying people’s antibody levels can help understand how effective or lasting a vaccine could be.

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