FRANKLIN, Pa. (EYT) — Brian Durniok, President of UPMC Northwest in Seneca, Pa., said antibody testing of COVID-19 is an important step in moving beyond the current COVID-19 crisis.

Addressing the Venango County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, April 14, Dorniok’s comments came in response to a question to whether or not antibody testing is something that could be seen soon locally.

“That’s something that will be coming down the path,” Dorniok said. “There’s a number of places, including UPMC, who are working on antibody testing.”

He said the ability to test for antibodies will give hospitals and others an idea of how prevalent COVID-19 has been in certain areas.

“I think that will be important because that will also show us to what degree the virus may have potentially been in the community prior to when we really started seeing the impact of it.”

Dorniok said there has been conjecture that COVID-19 could have been in the region a month or two ago.

“It’s hard to know that right now without antibody,” Dorniok said. “But, I think that is something you will see throughout the whole country.”