Bolus

solv3nt · Apr 17, 2020

bolus said:
I dont know the details but had contact down at the McDonalds.

There is a study in pre-publication now showing rates of people with positive antibodies to covid in Santa clara county CA at 2-5%. So if that holds true here we could have about 9000 positive (probably less since we are not densely populated) But that also means up to 50,000 on Oahu have had it.

Until we start testing more we will have no idea if social distancing worked. But best to assume that it is out there circulating in Kona and Hilo at least.

I already assumed that. Been curious though, my son had a nasty flu in Oregon over Christmas that both myself and daughter had after him. And we all had slight fever a month and a half ago. There's a chance that we had it too.

bolus · Apr 17, 2020

Stomper said:
Here's a question, is it possible to distinguish antibodies from the various types of the Covid virus?

We have a lot of tests we call "serology" that looks for antibodies to certain infections. We can detect prior exposure to chickenpox other infections this way. We also use this method to see if a vaccine worked. Like I have antibodies through a positive serology test to hepatitis B because I had the vaccine but never had the infection.

I'm not a lab person but I believe is mostly works via flocculation. You mix the serum with an antigen that the antibody is known to bind to. It then precipitates into a solid which can be detected by various methods.

Antibodies to different viruses in the same family (different coronaviruses for example) can be detected separately. For example, I can get a serology test that tells the difference between herpes 1 virus or 2 virus.

bolus · Apr 17, 2020

solv3nt said:
I already assumed that. Been curious though, my son had a nasty flu in Oregon over Christmas that both myself and daughter had after him. And we all had slight fever a month and a half ago. There's a chance that we had it too.

Once we have an antibody test it would be great to get tested to see if you are safe to go out (though we are not 100% if the immunity is protective for future infections).