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Sterling, VA -- Today, Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (VA-10) participated in a teleconference, held by the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology’s Subcommittee on Investigation & Oversight, to discuss the importance of serological tests which can determine whether people were previously infected with COVID-19 and developed an immune response to the virus.

During the teleconference, Wexton spoke with Dr. Florian Krammer, Professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Dr. Elizabeth McNally, Professor and Director at the Center for Genetic Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and Dr. Denise Toney, Director at the Department of General Services Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services, State Laboratory for the Commonwealth of Virginia.

"I appreciated hearing from health experts today about the importance of COVID-19 antibody testing for our ability to understand the full scope of this virus' transmission," said Congresswoman Wexton. "If we are going to rely on antibody testing to guide how we reopen the country, these tests must be reliable and based in high-quality science and we must have the capacity for widespread administration. I look forward to being a part of this Committee's work to ensure that antibody tests are developed and approved in a safe and effective manner."

Members on the call, along with Dr. Krammer, Dr. McNally, and Dr. Toney, discussed the potential of serological tests to help protect essential workers, prioritize individuals for future vaccination, and inform physical distancing measures; the use of serological tests for developing a treatment for COVID-19; discuss FDA policy that allows companies to develop and distribute serology tests without prior FDA review; and the overall need for quality standards.

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