As the city and state continue to ramp up COVID-19 testing, the need for supplies is growing as well.

Two elected officials in Brooklyn are working to secure not just a brand-new antibody test, but tens of thousands of them each week.

Beckman Coulter Diagnostics has developed a new antibody test that just got the green light from the FDA under emergency use authorization. They've shipped 40,000 of them to Brooklyn-based Lenco Diagnostic Laboratories.

 

Rep. Max Rose and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams are working to make this happen, with Adams stressing the importance of having not just quality testing resources, but accurate ones as well.

"Because that would show us the areas that are hardest hit, hospitals we could have a real information campaign in the area that is multi-language so that people would get the information in a way they'd understand,” says Adams.

In addition to the initial 40,000, Beckman Coulter anticipates sending 20,000 more antibody tests each week.