City of Ketchum participating in COVID-19 antibody research

Blaine County saw one of the worst outbreaks of the coronavirus in the entire state.

Now, the City of Ketchum--through an effort spearheaded by the city's fire cheif--is partnering with researchers to help learn more about coronavirus antibodies.

BLAINE COUNTY HADONE OF THE HIGHESTCOVID-19 INFECTIONRATES IN THE ENTIRESTATE.NOW... THEY'REUSING THAT TO HELPFIGHT IT."THEY HAVE TESTED ATHOUSAND PEOPLEWITH ADEMOGRAPHIC SPLITTHAT MATCHES THEREST OF OURCOUNTY."THE CITY OFKETCHUM HASBEGUN PARTNERINGWITH RESEARCHERSTO LEARN MOREABOUT THECORONAVIRUS."THEY HAVE A VERYGOOD IDEA NOW OFTHE PREVALENCE OFANTIBODIES IN OURCOMMUNITY.

MOREIMPORTANTLY, THEYHAVE MORE OF ANIDEA OF WHO WASAFFECTED IN THOSEMONTHS GONE BY."THE IDEA IS TO TESTTHE DURABILITY OFANTIBODIES THEBODY CREATESAFTER FIGHTING OFFTHE VIRUS."DURABILITY MEANS,HOW STRONG ISTHAT ANTIBODY, ANDALSO HOW LONGWILL YOU HAVE THATANTI-BODY?

THOSETWO THINGS AREREALLY IMPORTANT.THEN THEYDETERMINE HOWTHAT VIRUSATTACHES TO YOURSYSTEM."CITY LEADERS SAYTHE STUDY LIKELYWON'T LEAD TO AVACCINE... BUT ITWILL PROVIDERESEARCHERSOTHER VALUABLEINFORMATION THEYCAN USE TO DEFENDAGAINST THE VIRUS."WHAT IT IS IS ASTUDY THAT MAKESUS REALLYUNDERSTAND THERISK OF THIS VIRUS,HOW IT ISCONTRACTED, HOWIT IS PASSED ON, ANDMORE IMPORTANTLY,HOW DO WE GETTHROUGH IT?

WHAT'STHE SURVIVABILITYOF IT?

WHAT ARE THEKEYCHARACTERISTICSOF PEOPLE THAT DOGET IT AND SURVIVE,AND WHY CERTAINPEOPLE DON'T GETIT?"THE CITY SAYSRESEARCHERS PLANTO CONTINUESTUDYING THE VIRUSIN BLAINE COUNTY."THEY WILLCONTINUE TOMONITOR THOSEPEOPLE WHO THEYFIRST TESTED, ANDHOPEFULLY LOTSCAN BE LEARNEDFROM IT THAT MAKESUS A SAFER PLACE."THE RESULTS OF THESTUDY AREEXPECTED TO BERELEASED NEXTWEEK.WE'LL MAKE SURE TOUPDATE YOU AS WELEARN MORE.NATASHA WILLIAMS...IDAHO NEWS 6.