On April 29, USC announced it would be testing a random sample of 500-800 students for COVID-19 antibodies. Testing began yesterday and will run through May 8. Students who test positive for antibodies are also encouraged to take a diagnostic test to see if they currently have COVID-19.
The testing will seek to determine what percentage of USC students have been infected with the coronavirus and will help inform whether to reopen the university in the fall, USC Chief Health Officer Sarah Van Orman said.
“There is a hope that antibodies actually will be a marker of immunity. So if and when there is a determination that a certain level of antibodies do correlate with immunity, then immunity testing could be a useful strategy as students come back to determine which groups of students might already be immune to the virus,” she added.
Antibody testing is an emerging science, however, and it is unclear whether the testing will continue to be used.
“In the fall, we will be having a plan to test and again, we don’t know exactly who or how often or how many because it’s an emerging science,” Van Orman said. “The key issue with the antibody testing is, “If I have antibodies, does that mean I’m immune to getting the virus?” and that scientific question hasn’t been answered yet.”
Isaiah Murtaugh, a producer for Annenberg Radio News, received the email about testing and set up an appointment for April 30. Murtaugh, who lives a few blocks from USC on 23rd Street, said this was the first time he’s stepped foot on campus since classes went online.
According to Murtaugh, the process was quick. He went to the Engemann Student Health Center, switched out the bandana he was wearing for a face mask, filled out some paperwork and had his blood drawn. Murtaugh said he was nervous for the test, since he’s passed out while having his blood drawn before. He said he did end up passing out since he did not eat breakfast.
Murtaugh said the doctors told him the university plans to test 1,700 individuals and hopes to expand the program to include incoming students in the fall.
Jackson Cook, a junior studying biomedical engineering, took the test on Friday and is eager to find out what his results are. If his antibody results come back positive, he would likely have to return to get tested for COVID-19.
“My main concern [if I tested positive] would be walking around with a positive coronavirus case and not showing any symptoms, but I think it’ll be good to get that information,” Cook said.
When he asked about the timeline for his results, he was unable to get a solid answer. The doctors told him that he could expect an email from researchers when the results were out. Cook believes that the university should continue to test students.
“I wish that there was more widespread testing. It’s the best course of action right now, especially since they’re still debating whether to start school in the fall semester,” Cook said. “It’s really the best way to see how widespread the issue is and whether we should prepare for it to spread more.”
This comes as the results of Los Angeles County’s own antibody testing program show that the number of infections could be 55 times larger than the number of confirmed cases. The study, which was done in collaboration with USC, tested about 1,000 LA County residents.
While the World Health Organization stated that, “There is currently no evidence that people who have recovered from COVID-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection,” antibody testing will give the university a better idea of how many students have been infected.
Yesterday, Mayor Garcetti announced Los Angeles will be the first city in the U.S. to offer free COVID-19 testing for all residents. While priority will be given to individuals who exhibit symptoms, all residents can be tested.
As of May 1, 24,215 cases and 1,172 deaths have been reported in Los Angeles County.