Antibody test to help screen list for Marikina's COVID-19 vaccinations

As the country scrambles to improve its vaccine supply, Marikina City will use the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) antibody test to determine the priority list for those who will be inoculated against COVID-19.

According to Maki Pulido's 24 Oras report, the Marikina government was starting its pilot test for ELISA, a test that uses blood samples to see if a person has antibodies against COVID-19.

Angelica Sagador, a medical technologist privy to Marikina's ELISA operations, said the antibodies of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients cannot be detected because they are not being tested using the RT-PCR or swab.

"Mostly po yung mga nagkaka-antibodies na 'di nade-detect through RT-PCR, sila yung asymptomatic, na hindi naglalabas ng symptoms kaya hindi po sila nagpa-test ng RT-PCR," she said.

(Those who are having antibodies are those asymptomatic patients who have no symptoms that's why they are not being tested through RT-PCR.) — Consuelo Marquez/DVM, GMA News