Abbott providing vital COVID-19 diagnostic tests
Abbott received Health Canada authorization under the COVID-19 Interim Order for the ARCHITECT SARS-CoV-2 IgG test, a laboratory-based serology blood test for the detection of the antibody, IgG, that identifies if a person has had the new coronavirus (COVID-19).
Antibody testing is an important next step to tell if someone has been previously infected. It will provide more understanding of the virus including how long antibodies stay in the body and if they provide immunity. This type of knowledge could help support the development of treatments and vaccines. This antibody test is in addition to Abbott’s COVID-19 tests in Canada that are being used on its m2000™ molecular laboratory system.
Federal Procurement Minister Anita Anand announced in June that a contract is now in place to buy 140,000 serology test kits from Abbott Laboratories. These supplies are critical to ensuring Canada has the supplies needed to conduct testing and track the COVID19 virus.