[evan_au (OP)]

It seems that there is a lot of corona virus spread via people with fairly mild symptoms (like the common cold), who do not present to hospital (or even a General Practitioner).

When could we have an antibody test, so that we can see how many people have been exposed to the virus?
- How long does it take for an infected person to develop a measurable load of antibodies?
- How long does it take to develop an antibody test? (I assume that different people would develop antibodies to slightly different parts of the viral coat?)

Inviting in a group of people who have had a cold in the past month might give an idea of untracked spread of corona virus?
- And give a better idea of the death rate from the disease

[chris]

Good question, Evan.

This is a priority at the moment, especially in resource-poor settings. A company down the road from me just received significant funding to do this:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/inventor-home-pregnancy-test-develops-coronavirus-test/

[FuzzyUK]

.... death rate from the disease

The WHO reckon the death rate (8 March 2020) is around 1.4% though earlier figures soared up to 3.7%. It's the old and the vulnerable that are at most risk and those with compromised immune systems. Surprisingly the very young don't seem to have been affected badly so far.

Vitamin C has been debunked of being any help for colds and viruses but I note a clinical trial is taking place in China. This will not be concluded until September 2020

Vitamin C Infusion for the Treatment of Severe 2019-nCoV Infected Pneumonia:
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT04264533