Cuomo changes course on coronavirus antibodies as medical professionals raise uncertainty about immunity

Governor Andrew Cuomo, right, speaks alongside NYS Department of Health Commissioner Howard Zucker, at a coronavirus press conference at the governor's Manhattan office March 2, 2020 in Manhattan, New York.

Gov. Cuomo tamped down expectations of coronavirus immunity as the medical community continues to raise concerns about antibody tests.

A month ago, the governor was among those touting the benefits of the testing, offering a glimmer of hope as the state mulled the gargantuan task of reopening the economy and controlling the virus going forward.

The state Department of Health announced in early April it had developed its own federally approved test for serum antibodies to the novel coronavirus.

The antibodies develop in people who have recovered from COVID-19 after successfully fighting off the infection. Cuomo at the time said that if someone tested positive for antibodies it could mean they have a green light to go about their lives.

"That would mean that you’re no longer contagious and you can’t catch the virus because you have the antibodies in your system, which means you can get to work, you can go back to school, you can do whatever you want,” the governor said during an April 7 press briefing at the Capitol Building.

People line up outside a City MD location on the UES to get a COVID-19 antibody test Saturday, May 9, 2020.(Barry Williams/for New York Daily News)

A few weeks later, as preliminary results rolled in showing one in 5 five New York City residents were likely already exposed to the virus, Cuomo spoke about the tests in more general terms — painting them as a tool for measuring infection rates as opposed to a stamp of approval for individuals to disregard social distancing rules.

“We use the antibody test more for an indicator for infection rate," he said during a briefing Friday in Poughkeepsie. “We’re not taking action off that antibody test. It’s not like we tell you, ‘OK, you can go back to work now because you’re safe.’ We use it more for statistical purposes.”

The change comes amid concerns about the reliability and accuracy of antibody tests and whether they can truly tell if someone has built up immunity to COVID-19 and for how long.

The federal Food and Drug Administration reversed course last week and tightened regulations on antibody blood tests after allowing unreviewed kits to flood the market. At the same time, the World Health Organization warned late last month that people who have had COVID-19 are not necessarily immune to reinfection based solely on the presence of antibodies in their system.

Rich Azzopardi, a senior Cuomo adviser, said the state is simply “following the facts, the science and the experts.”

Cuomo and state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker stood by the state-made test on Friday, saying other labs have turned to New York’s Wadsworth laboratory for guidance.

But some medical professionals said much uncertainty remains.

“It’s an important thing, but it’s certainly not the full answer,” said David Carpenter, former dean of the University of Albany, School of Public Health. “We’re really not sure how long antibodies last. Another issue is for people who don’t have really severe symptoms, there is no evidence that they develop antibodies.”

Carpenter said he is skeptical of any reliance on antibody testing and insisted more time is needed to really understand the significance of the results.

Both the state and the city have continued to ramp up antibody testing in recent weeks, which experts say can still be helpful for tracking the virus and providing a snapshot of how the infection has spread among first responders, transit workers and front-line workers as well as the general public.

On Thursday, Mayor de Blasio announced that the city will test 140,000 people for COVID-19 antibodies in the coming weeks. The free tests, made by New Jersey-based BioReference Laboratories, will be offered by appointment at five locations throughout the city.

Mayor Bill de Blasio is pictured at Coney Island Hospital in Brooklyn, New York on Thursday, April 16, 2020. (Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News)

“We are not promising people a rose garden here,” de Blasio said. “We’re not saying the antibody test is the last word. It’s not. But it tells you something.”

Cuomo on Saturday said antibody tests of 1,300 transit workers revealed a 14.2% infection rate, lower than the citywide rate of 19.9%. Rates for health care workers, NYPD and FDNY members were also lower than the norm.

While the testing remains a part of the state’s efforts to reopen, the Cuomo administration has turned its attention to contact tracing in recent days, partnering with former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to create an “army of tracers” to track the spread of the virus.

“Testing antibodies does have its benefit. You do want to look at the seroprevalence of the population,” said Dr. Joan Cangiarella, the associate professor of pathology and vice chair of clinical operations at NYU Langone.

However, she stressed that it’s very important how policymakers convey that to the public.

“We shouldn’t be selling it as this back-to-work piece because we don’t want people changing practices — social distancing and hand washing," she said.

The relatively short span of time testing has been in place means insights into how antibodies work with regards to coronavirus are still limited.

“We are hoping that antibodies mean immunity,” Cangiarella said. “We need time on this."