Cabot Emergency Hospital Receives FDA Authorized Cellex Antibody Test for COVID-19

Contact:
Nathan Jeffers
Director of Marketing
[email protected]

CABOT, Ark., May 26, 2020—Cabot Emergency Hospital now has the capability to test for COVID-19 antibodies in-house, using the Cellex antibody test. This test is the first of its kind to be authorized by the FDA through the Emergency Use Authorization process on April 1. Due to the overwhelming demands of the national pandemic, supplies of Cellex have been constrained. However, Cabot Emergency Hospital is now among the certified medical facilities with this “game-changing” serology test.

Antibody testing is also known as serology testing, which checks for the presence of antibodies, or unique proteins created in response to infections. Antibodies are created by the immune system to protect the body from allergens, bacteria, and viruses. By testing the level of antibodies in someone’s blood, it can determine if they had an immune response to the infection or if they were previously infected. The Cellex test looks for two types of antibodies, IgG and IgM, which rise as the body mounts an immune reaction to fight off the SARS-COV2 virus.

The Cellex test requires a small blood sample and a laboratory certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) to analyze the results. CLIA is a federal government standard for ensuring quality laboratory testing of humans, and Cabot Emergency Hospital’s laboratory is CLIA certified.  

Once the blood is drawn, it will be tested in-house for COVID-19 indicators using the Cellex kit. Results from the test will appear after approximately 20 minutes, keeping anticipation to a minimum. Although there is uncertainty as to whether the development of antibodies to COVID-19 necessarily suggest long-term immunity, Cabot Emergency Hospital can also offer the standard PCR testing in addition to the antibody testing.

The Cellex antibody test will be exceptionally beneficial for individuals, as well as employers and public health officials, to determine whether they have been exposed to COVID-19 and have developed an immune response. We encourage the public to take serious precautions regarding your health during this time.