NYC To Offer Free Coronavirus Antibody Tests In Long Island City

LONG ISLAND CITY, QUEENS — New York City will start testing Long Island City residents for coronavirus antibodies Friday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced.

The free tests, which indicate whether a person was previously infected with the new coronavirus, will be available by appointment only and preference will go to residents of the surrounding area.

Results will be available in one to two days and will be used for research on how and where COVID-19 is affecting New Yorkers.

Experts with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say it's still unclear whether coronavirus antibodies provide adequate protection against getting reinfected, and the antibody tests aren't foolproof.

Someone who has a current COVID-19 infection may test negative for antibodies, and some people who have been infected may not develop antibodies. False positives are also possible.

Still, antibody tests help health officials estimate the total number of people who have had the new coronavirus and how the body's immune system responds to an infection.

"We're not saying the antibody test is the last word," de Blasio said in a news conference Thursday. "It's not. But it tells you something."

The city will use blood tests made by BioReference Labs for the free program, which will test 140,000 people by the beginning of June, the mayor said.

Tests will be available at one location in each borough to start.

Visit nyc.bioreference.com/antibodysurvey or call 888-279-0967 to make an appointment. The testing center is at 34-09 Queens Blvd.