By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
COVID-19 antibody testing of Buchanan County residents wraps up at the end of next week with results so far indicating very low numbers of residents with the coronavirus.
More than 1,300 residents have been tested by Mosaic Life Care so far. Results from about 1,200 have returned with only 33 testing positive, six of whom tested positive from a previous nasal swab.
Buchanan County Presiding Commissioner Lee Sawyer says the commission provided funding for the testing in an effort to get a handle on the reach of COVID-19 locally.
“We’ve heard really good things about the efficiency of this antibody testing,” Sawyer says. “I’ve talked to a number of people that have had the test and said that it went really smoothly.”
Sawyer says the antibody testing should give health officials a good indication of the spread of the coronavirus locally.
“I think it’s a great opportunity,” Sawyer says. “The medical professionals at Mosaic had felt like this would be a really good look at where we stand as a community.”
Mosaic Life Care is conducting the tests which continue through the end of next week. Testing ends on the 28th.
The Buchanan County Commission is paying for the testing from federal funds allocated the county. There have been some cancellations, opening slots for county residents wanting to be tested.