Over 80 Per Cent Of Sampled Population In Ahmedabad Has COVID-19 Antibodies: Sero-Survey

Ahmedabad: A serological survey of around 5,000 people from different parts of Ahmedabad city in Gujarat has revealed that 81.63 per cent of the sampled population had developed antibodies against COVID-19, officials said on Monday (July 19). People who have taken both doses of coronavirus vaccines had high levels of sero-positivity as compared to those who were yet to be inoculated, they said, citing findings of the recent survey. The survey to detect sero-positivity for antibodies against SARS-CoV2, which causes COVID-19, was conducted by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) between May 28 and June 3, when the second wave of the pandemic was subsiding. Sero-positivity essentially means the presence of antibodies in the blood serum.

Also Read: Low Vaccination, High R-Rate, Is India Inching Towards The Third Wave? Experts Speak

We carry out sero-surveillance studies at regular intervals to detect antibodies. Overall, 80 per cent sero-positivity has been detected in the general population of Ahmedabad. Those who took both the doses had high levels of sero-positivity as compared to those who took none, said AMC Medical Officer of Health Dr Bhavin Solanki.

A total of 5,001 samples were collected as part of the study, out of which 32 samples were rejected for various reasons and results were available for 4,969 samples – 2,354 males and 2,615 females, he said. Out of these, 4,056 samples tested positive for antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, giving a positivity of 81.63 per cent, said an AMC report.

Also Read: Covid Antibodies Last At Least Nine Months After Infection: Study

A total of 1,938 males demonstrated the presence of antibodies, giving the positivity of 82.33 per cent, while 2,118 females, which comes to 80.99 per cent, had antibodies. Thus, the sero-positivity is higher among males as compared to females, the report stated.

The report said more than 80 per cent of the population had antibodies against COVID-19 on account of their past infection, vaccination or both. Of the total 2,887 persons in the sample size who did not have a history of coronavirus infection and who were not vaccinated yet, antibodies were found in 2,216 persons, which comes to 76.76 per cent, the lowest in the entire sample. On the other side, out of 158 persons who had both COVID-19 in the past and took two doses of vaccines, 154 persons, which comes to 97.47 per cent, had antibodies, the report said. Moreover, antibodies were found in 164 out of a total 173 persons (94.80 pc), who had COVID-19 in the past but took only one vaccine dose (when the survey was underway), it said.

Also Read: Delta Variant Of COVID Around 60% More Transmissible Than Alpha Variant, Vaccines Are Effective: Government Expert Panel Chief

Among the non-vaccinated, those who were infected with COVID-19 had higher sero-positivity (81.93 per cent) than those without any history of the viral disease (76.76 pc), the report stated.

Among the vaccinated persons also, those with COVID-19 infection had higher sero-positivity as compared to those without any history of the respiratory illness, it said. Even for both these groups, individuals with two doses of vaccine had higher sero-positivity than those with a single dose, it said.

Also Read: COVID-19: Difficult To Say When Third Wave Will Come, We’re Better Prepared: Expert Committee Chairman

A majority of the vaccinated population in our sample were vaccinated with Covishield vaccine. Although there are very few who were vaccinated with Covaxin in our sample, people with Covaxin have slightly higher sero-positivity as compared to Covishield, said the survey.

“Considering the dose of vaccine received, those without any dose of vaccine have sero-positivity of 77.04 per cent, those with one dose have sero-positivity of 86.06 per cent, whereas those with 2 doses of vaccine have sero-positivity of 94.22 per cent. Thus, the sero-positivity increases as the COVID-19 vaccine dose increases” said the report.

As of May 2021, the study estimates 81.63 per cent sero-positivity for antibodies against SARS-CoV2 in general population of Ahmedabad, it said. The available data is insufficient “to comment on the status of herd immunity for the entire city”, the report said.

Looking at higher sero-positivity among vaccinated & higher sero-positivity with completion of both the doses, further large-scale COVID-19 vaccination for the remaining & incompletely vaccinated population is strongly recommended for complete control over the pandemic situation, the report said.

Also Read: Crowds Without Masks In Hill Stations, A Matter Of Concern: PM Modi At COVID-19 Review Meet

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.