“We do have a capacity to do 10,000 tests per day and we’re looking to double, even triple, that… in the coming weeks,” said Dr. Bill Morice with Mayo Clinic.
ROCHESTER, Minnesota — Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says expanded testing is the key to getting the state running again and lifting restrictions. Mayo Clinic is at the forefront of developing these kinds of tests.
Last week, Mayo Clinic launched a serologic test (also called an antibody test) which is used to find out who has recovered and might have some immunity to the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
They’re now able to make it available to more hospitals across the country through Mayo Clinic Laboratories.
“We’ve been focused very much in the parts of the country that have been hit hardest by this… so the South and in the Northeast,” said Dr. Bill Morice, president of Mayo Clinic Laboratories and chair of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic.
So far, Mayo Clinic has done about 100 serologic tests but testing is now ramping up.
“We do have a capacity to do 10,000 tests per day and we’re looking to double, even triple that or even more in the coming weeks,” Dr. Morice said.
According to Dr. Morice, they’re focusing first on testing those on the front lines who may have been exposed to the virus and now have some immunity.
“The other will be to really identify people who have been exposed, developed antibodies, and actually can donate their plasma to treat others who are really suffering with COVID disease,” Dr. Morice said.
For example, an older Maple Grove couple with COVID-19 is part of the Mayo Clinic convalescent plasma study through North Memorial Health. But the couple’s family