FDA Approves First Antibody Test for COVID-19

Specimens from CCP virus tests are logged to processed for a positive or negative result at the UW Medicine Virology lab in Seattle, Washington state, on March 18, 2020. Brian Snyder/Reuters

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first blood test for seeing if patients were infected with COVID-19 in the past but have since recovered, a key component of many plans looking at restarting the U.S. economy amid the pandemic.

Dr. Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the administration, announced the approval during an interview with CBS News Radio on Thursday.