Dozens Of Veterans Get Free COVID-19 Antibody Tests In Glendale

By Scott Bourque
Published: Sunday, May 24, 2020 - 4:23pm
Updated: Monday, May 25, 2020 - 8:02am

A woman gets her finger pricked for a coronavirus antibody test
Scott Bourque/KJZZ
A woman gets her finger pricked for a coronavirus antibody test at a veterans testing event in Glendaleon May 23, 2020.

A few dozen veterans were able to get free coronavirus antibody tests at a car show in Glendale on Saturday thanks to Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Famer Nick Lowery’s nonprofit. 

As Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers explains, the more antibody tests given, the sooner cities and states can recommend safe reopening timelines.

Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers
Scott Bourque/KJZZ
Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers speaks at a coronavirus testing event in Glendale on May 23, 2020.

"We can’t figure out what we need to do until we know how many people’s had it, have it currently, or don't have it, and try to crunch numbers to see so we have something to gauge off of history, and try to make predictions," he said. "It makes everybody’s job easier if we know exactly what’s going on."

The city of Glendale partnered with Lowery's foundation and Nancy Perry productions, which puts on classic car shows, to offer the testing alongside a classic car gathering in a Glendale parking lot. 

"We want to get a handle on this thing," Weiers said. "I don't want people to be scared, to be in fear, but knowledge is everything. The more we know how this thing's working, who's been affected, who hasn't ... you can't make predictions unless you have accurate information."

The most recent testing event found two people who tested positive for antibodies, which means they had a coronavirus infection, but may have been asymptomatic.

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