State conducting antibody testing at random

According to a NYSDOH spokeswoman, the state is conducting the testing unannounced and at random.

GOOD EVENING ONCEAGAIN -- LEADERS SAYTHE KEY TOREOPENING SOCIETYIS TESTING... AND ERIECOUNTY IS NOWEXPANDING ITSTESTING CAPABILITYYET AGAIN.ANYONE SHOWINGSYMPTOMS IS NOWELIGIBLE... BUT MUSTMAKE ANAPPOINTMENT FIRST.MEANTIME -- TAKE ALOOK AT THE LINESOUTSIDE A POPUPTESTING SITE INAMHERST..DOZENS OF PEOPLELINED UP FOR ANANTI-BODY TESTTODAY... CONDUCTBY THE STATE.AS 7 EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTER ALITOUHEY SHOWS US --THE GOAL OF THISTEST IS TO BETTERUNDERSTAND THENUMBER OF PEOPLEOF WHO HAVE HADCONTACT WITH THEVIRUS.NAT OPEN: I'MFRUSTRATED ANDWORRIED ABOUT THEECONOMY.WHICH IS PRIMARILYWHY JOANNEIS HERE AT THEWEGMANS ONALBERTA DRIVE INAMHERST FOR FRCOVID-19 ANTIBODYTESTING.

IT'S ONE OF20 SITES STATEWIDEWHERE THE NEWYORK STATEDEPARTMENT OHEALTH IS COMING TOCONDUCT THETESTING.SOT :03JOANNE: I'M 100%SURE I HAD IT.

BUT,WE'LL SEE.TOM WENDT ISWAITING IN LINEBEHIND HER.HE TOOSUSPECTS HE HADTHE VIRUS ABOUT AMONTH AGO.SOTI DIDN'T HAVE TASTE ORSMELL, BODY ACHES,MY WIFE HAD THECLASSIC SYMPTOMS. IDON'T KNOW.

WENEVER GOT TESTS.SOT :03TOM: I WANT TO KNOW.ALI: PEACE OF MIND?PEACE OF MIND,EXACTLY.ACCORDING TO THEDEPARTMENT OFHEALTH, IT ISSTUDYING THEPROPORTION OFPEOPLE PREVIOUSLYINFECTED WITH THEVIRUS BY COLLECTING3-THOUSANDFINGERSTICK BLOODSAMPLES.

HEALTHOFFICIALS SAY IT WILLHELP DETERMINE THEPERCENTAGE OF THEPOPULATION THAT HASPOTENTIAL IMMUNITYTO THE VIRUS,ALLOWING MOREINDIVIDUALS TOSAFELY RETURN TOWORK.FURTHERMOREHEALTH OFFICIALS DON'TPLAN TO ANNOUNCEWHEN THE TESTING ISBEINGDONE.BECAUSE IT ISALL BEING DONE ATRANDOMSOT :11GOVERNOR: IT'S ASTATISTICAL MODELAND IT'S LITERALLYRANDOM.

SO YOU JUSTHAVE TO BE ON ASTREET CORNER ORWHATEVER TOACTUALLY GETRANDOM PEOPLE.LIKE JOANNELAMANCUSA.

THE 58-YEAR-OLD FROM THTOWN OF TONAWANDASAYS SHE WASN'TSURE THE TESTINGWOULD BE AVAILABLEBUT TOOK A CHANCEAFTER HEARING ITWAS OFFERED HESUNDAY.SOT :06JOANNE: WOULDN'T ITBE GREAT IF 58% OFOUR COMMUNITYALREADY HAD IT?

LET'SGO, GET BACK TOWORK.IN AMHERST, ALITOUHEY, 7EWN.ABOUT 150 CARS