Immune To COVID? New Study Suggests Why

The FDA has authorized the first at-home test for COVID-19.

The test relies on saliva samples and could also be used in healthcare settings, according to an emergency authorization granted Friday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The test kit was developed by a lab at Rutgers University and was previously approved for use at test sites, according to The New York Times. The new authorization allows the kits to be used at home by individuals who would collect their own saliva samples. The kits can only be obtained with a doctor's order.

Weather in your inbox

Forecast Location

Sign Up

By signing up you agree to the Terms & Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe at any time.

Rutgers received F.D.A. permission last month to collect saliva samples from patients at test sites but can now sell the collection kits for individuals to use at home. They must be ordered by a physician.

Nearly 4 million people had contracted COVID-19 worldwide as of Saturday morning, with more than 277,000 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University

More than 1.3 million people in the U.S. have been infected and at least 78,320 have died.

Health experts say the number of deaths and infections in the U.S. and other countries is likely higher than reported, due to lack of testing, differences in how deaths are recorded and other factors.

Latest Developments

United States:

-Louisiana was one of three states on Friday to report the death of a child from a COVID-19. Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a news briefing that a child under 10 years old had died in his state. Virginia and New Jersey officials also announced on Friday their first child deaths from COVID-19.

-White House protocols are coming under scrutiny after Vice President Mike Pence's press secretary was confirmed to have tested positive on Friday. Katie Miller is often present at coronavirus task force press conferences and other events, and frequently travels with Pence. She is also married to Stephen Miller, a senior Trump advisor, according to the Washington Post. Katie Miller tested positive the day after it was revealed that one of President Trump's personal valets was infected. Trump, Pence and other top administration officials are routinely seen not wearing face masks or practicing social distancing. On Friday, Trump attended a ceremony with several elderly World War II veterans, while Pence appeared in Iowa.

-California, the first state in the nation to issue a stay-at-home order nearly eight weeks ago, began easing restrictions Friday. Some retailers were allowed to open with curbside pickup only, and some industries were allowed to reopen with social distancing protocols in place. In-store shopping is still not allowed at most retailers, and locations like gyms, shopping malls, bars and hair salons remain completely closed. Some cities, including San Francisco, are dealing with reopening under their own rules.

-Delta Airlines announced it's temporarily discontinuing flights to 10 airports. The company said in a news release that operations would be consolidated into larger nearby airports in places like Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Delta has also filed a request with the Department of Transportation to consolidate operations at nine other airports. Delta's second-quarter schedule was reduced by 85 percent.

-Roy Horn of the popular Las Vegas act Siegfried and Roy has died from complications of coronavirus, CNN reported. He was 75.

Worldwide:

-Health officials in the Maldives, an Indian Ocean island nation known for its resorts, predict that a fourth of the country's population could become infected with COVID-19, The Associated Press reported. The country has recently seen a spike in cases in its densely populated capital city.

-More than 2,100 nightclubs have been shut down in Seoul, South Korea, after more than two dozen new cases of COVID-19 in the capital city were linked to club patrons. The national government had encouraged nightclubs to close or take greater measures to protect customers and staff against the coronavirus.

For the latest coronavirus information in your county and a full list of important resources to help you make the smartest decisions regarding the disease, check out our dedicated COVID-19 page.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.