DRAPER — Early testing for COVID-19 antibodies in several Utah communities reveals a rate that is well above the statewide COVID-19 infection rate.

Within 48 hours of the announcement of COVID-19 antibody testing last week, more than 2,500 people signed up.

Walker hopes to make testing available once a week in his community, and ideally, make it available for those who cannot afford a $70 test.

The goal is to detect antibodies related to COVID-19 to determine the true infection rate so leaders can make decisions about limiting the virus, and easing restrictions.

A COVID-19 virus test indicates whether a person has the active virus.

A COVID-19 antibody test indicates whether a person has already had COVID-19.

However, the rate for those who test positive for COVID-19 antibodies in two communities, after two days of testing, is more than twice that rate at 11%.

He said one reason the antibody test rate is higher than the statewide infection rate, is because all of the people getting antibody tests so far chose to get tested because they thought they might have been sick.