Quest Diagnostics launches coronavirus testing for employees returning to work
Antibodies are proteins produced in response to infection
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(Reuters) - Quest Diagnostics Inc on Wednesday launched services to support large-scale testing for the new coronavirus as companies look to bring employees back to offices safely.
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The company in April started testing blood samples to detect antibodies - proteins produced in response to infection - against COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus.
City of Miami police officer Anthony Reyes has blood drawn as he undergoes a COVID-19 antibody test at Hard Rock Stadium, during the new coronavirus pandemic, Wednesday, May 6, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
The diagnostic company said the “return to work services” provide employers access to its COVID-19 antibody testing as well as molecular testing, which typically uses nasal swab samples to detect the virus.
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The company said it was scaling up its COVID-19 lab operations to accommodate expected demand and expects to have capacity for about 150,000 molecular diagnostic tests a day by the end of June, nearly double its current testing rate.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DGX | QUEST DIAGNOSTICS INC. | 162.66 | -0.66 | -0.40% |
The company also said it has the capacity to perform about 200,000 antibody tests a day.