Windsor Regional Hospital Adopt immune status monitoring

In partnership with Audacia Bioscience, Windsor Regional Hospital has started promoting antibody testing to its staff to help protect them against the ongoing threat of COVID-19.

The finger prick blood test, which provides results in a minute, is also available to the general public via the website but the hospital is discounting the tests for staff members. Hospital CEO David Musyj said the tests can show people their immunity levels and tell them if it’s time for another vaccine.

“It’s another tool to determine when you should get it,” said Musyj. “It’s a valuable tool for that purpose. COVID is still in the hospital and still in the community. We want to try to figure out ways to protect our staff as much as possible.”

The test, approved by Health Canada last year, is available from Audacia Bioscience. They’re $20 each. The hospital is subsidizing the cost of the first test each staff member buys.

Dr. Phillip Olla, the company’s CEO, said the tests are meant to help people manage risks by check their immunity status and determining if they need a vaccine boost.

“We’re moving away from the government telling us what to do,” said Olla, whose company previously provided COVID-19 tests for people travelling between Windsor and Detroit. “It’s down to us to keep ourselves protected and safe. What this does for people is it gives you an idea of where you are with your immunity status. No one is actually immune. You can keep getting COVID over and over again. Once you get COVID you do get some protection, but it wanes. If you get the vaccine it will wane. So the only real way to make sure you are protected is to just keep checking your antibodies.”

This story was covered by the Windsor Star. Local company offers test to help determine your immunity from COVID-19

Author of the article: Trevor Wilhelm Publishing date: Nov 01, 2022

Photo credit: Dan Janise