Changhua County in central Taiwan has released the results of a mass testing program for COVID-19 antibodies. Changhua County health authorities said Thursday that 18people known to have contracted COVID-19 who took part in the testing had developed antibodies.
The program is the first large-scale COVID-19 antibody test in Taiwan. It is the product of collaboration between National Taiwan University’s College of Public Health and the Changhua County Government.
Researchers tested 10,000 people from four high-risk groups and a control group for COVID-19. Those tested included people in Changhua County who had previously had the disease, as well as people who had come into contact with them during the virus’ peak in Taiwan in February and March.
Changhua County Public Health Bureau Director Yeh Yen-po says that if the antibody test is positive, it means the subject has contracted COVID-19 before, but has also developed antibodies.
Yeh says that out of the 4,841 people in three other high-risk groups, only four tested positive for neutralizing antibodies, which neutralize any biological effect an infectious particle may have on a cell. This puts the positive rate at 0.083%, meaning that Taiwan has an extremely low risk of community transmission.