Isn't the continuously collected blood supply a good sample for roughly estimating the number of asymptomatic + pre-symptomatic cases? That is collected in communities throughout the world. As it is collected continuously, it should serve to track those kind of cases over time, showing spread & growth. Those with symptoms wouldn't have been allowed to give blood. I presume temperature and BP are recorded for each blood donation.
As I understand it, the collected blood wouldn't have the virus itself, but should be appropriate for antibody tests.
Given this seems obvious, I wonder whether it is already in process for the Stanford antibody test. Or maybe it isn't as obvious as I think.
[BC already mentioned China testing blood in another thread, and finding a rather low percentage of cases there.]
By the way, I ran across info on the PCR test used by China in the appendix of this NEJM article.
As I understand it, the collected blood wouldn't have the virus itself, but should be appropriate for antibody tests.
Given this seems obvious, I wonder whether it is already in process for the Stanford antibody test. Or maybe it isn't as obvious as I think.
[BC already mentioned China testing blood in another thread, and finding a rather low percentage of cases there.]
By the way, I ran across info on the PCR test used by China in the appendix of this NEJM article.