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Kaleida Health expands COVID-19 testing to essential workers; receives antibody test kits

It's still required to get a prescription from a doctor in order to be tested.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Kaleida Health announced Friday it is expanding its COVID-19 laboratory testing capability to include essential workers. 

The healthcare system says workers who have been deemed essential by New York State, and are showing symptoms of COVID-19, will now be able to receive a test from Kaleida. Previously they had just been testing for critical symptomatic patients and front line hospital workers. 

Kaleida said it expects to administer over 400 tests each day. They say results of the tests can be returned in about two days. 

Essential workers who want to be tested for COVID-19 must first visit Kaleida's website and answer screening questions. Kaleida also reminds people that a prescription is still needed in order to get a test. 

This is the third expansion of Kaleida's Lab testing. They first tested symptomatic/critical patients and front line hospital workers, then employees from the Catholic Health System, the VA, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and ECMC, plus first responders from Buffalo Police and Fire, and paramedics and EMTs. 

Kaleida Health has also received the “rapid antibody” test kits from Abbott Inc. that are currently undergoing validation. The test can help determine if a person was previously infected with the virus. How those tests will be used will be determined by state and federal officials. 

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