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AnyPlace MD, a Cedar Park-based business offering COVID-19 testing and symptom monitoring, has seen a change in consumer demand.
In early April, the company hosted its first antibody testing event in Austin. "The demand was massive," CEO Shane Stevens said. But subsequent events, including a drive-thru testing site at Circuit of The Americas, prompted less interest.
Stevens attributes this to growing doubt about antibody testing and questions about its efficacy.
The initial popularity of antibody testing was, in part, a response to a lack of regular COVID-19 tests. Antibody tests detect whether a person has developed an immunologic response to the virus—which may or may not confer immunity—and they were offered as a chance to give patients peace of mind and researchers a better sense of how widely COVID-19 has spread within communities.
Last month, local primary care centers began offering pinprick tests, promising results in 15 minutes. But health authorities quickly responded, warning that the tests varied in quality, risked false results and could not prove immunity.
To combat this, AnyPlace MD has partnered with the city of Austin and area nursing homes on testing initiatives. "By partnering with these groups, we have a more defined audience," he said. "It's going to be based really on need versus an assumption that there's a want for the testing."
Today, antibody tests are more stringently regulated. The FDA's initial policy, set in mid-March, was updated May 4 to prevent companies from falsely claiming their tests were approved by the agency.
But challenges remain.
Eric Olson is the CEO of Austin-based medical technology company Babson Diagnostics, which launched its own antibody test on April 30. He is hopeful that antibody tests can regain the public's trust.
"Number one, we need to be really careful about what we say that we're doing," he said. "We're providing a test that can tell you whether or not you've got antibodies. It's not a test that can tell you whether or not you've got immunity. And that's just got to be a clear line that you draw."
In a controlled setting, antibody testing may be able to help workplaces return to normal.
Dr. Andrea Natale, who directs the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute at St. David's Medical Center, and a team of researchers, have been working on the Austin COVID-19 Protection Project.
Since March, they have tested more than 700 people within the Austin health care community—including EMTs, patients and hospital staff—using a combination of diagnostic tests and antibody tests.
"If you combine both, you can start testing large numbers of people quickly," Dr. Natale said. "Once you reach a critical mass of tested people and you isolate the positives, then it becomes a very safe environment to be around each other without worry [of getting] sick."
Total Men's Primary Care, which has 16 locations in and around Austin, was one of the first places to offer antibody testing locally. It has since expanded its services to women and children and recently received the first shipment of FDA-approved Cellex tests sent outside of New York, CEO Robert Sek said.
The company is expanding its services to include on-site antibody testing for employers. Austin companies that have expressed interest include dental offices, restaurants, construction companies and a car dealership. "It's not diagnostic in nature, but it's trying to get another piece of information or data," Sek said. "That could be useful for them."
Antibody tests will also improve as companies refine their models. Babson is already working on its second iteration.
"We do think that there's a significant probability that this disease is something that we'll have to deal with year in and year out," Olson said, adding that testing for COVID-19 antibodies could become as normalized as checking one's cholesterol or glucose levels. "And if that's the case, we believe pretty strongly that serology testing is going to become a routine blood test."
- Questions about COVID antibody protection put herd immunity ... ›
- Antibody tests show up in Austin, but not all are FDA approved ... ›
- A&M to study BCG vaccine that could save lives in COVID fight ... ›
- City, county to share names, addresses, demographics for positive COVID-19 tests in contract tracing effort - austonia ›
- Austin company gets emergency FDA approval for antibody test - austonia ›
- Austin officials say COVID-19 testing remains a challenge - austonia ›
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(We Are Blood/Instagram)
Communities are rallying together after an 18-year-old shot and killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
Funds from organizations all around the state–including from Austin’s own Los Verdes–are being raised to support families affected by the tragedy. Here's how you can help.
Donate blood
If you are looking for ways to help, please consider donating blood. Your donation can help ensure we have supplies immediately available for the victims of this tragic shooting.
— University Health (@UnivHealthSA) May 24, 2022
Our donor room has availability the rest of the week. Please schedule online: https://t.co/0F2lKDqYzO
Austin-area residents can donate blood with We Are Blood.
South Texas Blood & Tissue was able to send a total of 25 units of blood both to the school and local hospitals to support treatment. After an emergency blood drive on Wednesday, the blood center is hosting a Memorial Day blood drive and should have appointments opening the following week.
The largest blood transfuser in the San Antonio area, the University Health System, is also asking members of the community to donate blood. Appointments may be scarce due to demand.
Donate
The Los Verdes community is heartbroken at today's senseless act of gun violence in Uvalde that ended 15 lives too early. We are currently raising funds to support the families who lost loved ones today, and you can join by donating here. https://t.co/52L1ZtbSND
— Los Verdes (@LosVerdesATX) May 24, 2022
There is a growing list of verified fundraisers through GoFundMe, where almost $2 million has been raised so far for families and victims of the tragedy.
- The VictimsFirst fundraiser is raising $2 million to provide “100% of what is collected” to the victims’ family members.
- Austin-based Los Verdes Supporter Group is raising $100,000 for the families “affected by the horrific school shooting at Robb Elementary.”
- Allison McCullough, the aunt of victim Makenna Lee Elrod, is raising $50,000 for her family.
- The Alithia Ramirez funeral fund is working on raising $8,000 for the young girl’s funeral.
- More are being added by the hour.
Additionally, both Rushing-Estes Mortuary Uvalde and Hillcrest Memorial Funeral Home are offering free services to families of the victims.
Other fundraisers
An official account with First State Bank has been set up for donations through UCISD to assist the families of this tragedy.
— Uvalde CISD (@Uvalde_CISD) May 25, 2022
Please know that the FSB account, is the only verified location to make any monetary donations. No other source is currently recognized. pic.twitter.com/psQb6fD6Ls
Uvalde CISD has opened an account to support families of the victims with the First State Bank of Uvalde. Checks to donate should be made payable to the "Robb School Memorial Fund" or through Zelle at robbschoolmemorialfund@gmail.com.
The League of United Latin American Citizens has created a fund for victims, which it says will donate 100% to families and University Health has also organized the Uvalde Victims Relief Fund to help provide care for victims.
H-E-B has also donated $500,000 to aid victims and is collecting donations for its Spirit of Giving Fund, which supports philanthropic efforts in the wake of Texas tragedies. Starting Wednesday, shoppers at H-E-B, Central Market, Joe V’s Smart Shop and Mi Tienda can donate at checkout or online.(Sergio Flores/The Texas Tribune)
By Patrick Svitek
Beto O'Rourke caused a dramatic scene on Wednesday when he angrily confronted Gov. Greg Abbott at his news conference about the Uvalde school shooting, yelling, "This is on you."
After Abbott was done giving his initial remarks, O'Rourke approached the stage and told Abbott he was "doing nothing" to combat gun violence. He said the Uvalde massacre, in which a gunman killed 19 children and two adults, was "totally predictable."
Some of the Republican officials onstage with Abbott quickly denounced O'Rourke, telling him to go away. Another man onstage used expletives to criticize O'Rourke for interrupting the event. O'Rourke was eventually escorted away amid the unruly scene.
“I can’t believe that you’re a sick son of a bitch that would come to a deal like this to make a political issue,” Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin told O'Rourke at one point.
.@BetoORourke just showed up and shook things up. @statesmanpic.twitter.com/Z1FtBwUEdJ
— Luz Moreno-Lozano 🦇 (@LuzMorenoLozano) May 25, 2022