Over 56% people in Delhi possess COVID-19 antibodies: Sero Survey

NEW DELHI: Satyendar Jain, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Government of NCT of Delhi, said that 56.13 per cent of the total number of people covered under the latest serological survey conducted in the city in January have developed the antibodies against COVID-19. He added that more than 20 million inhabitants may have been infected with the novel coronavirus.

Jain said that results of the survey show that the city is moving towards developing herd immunity but it will only be confirmed and cleared by experts. He also confirmed that the vaccination of frontline workers will begin from this week itself. Almost six lakh frontline workers, including teachers of government schools, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) employees, police personnel, etc will be administered doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. He added that with 62.18 per cent, Southwest Delhi district reported the highest seroprevalence, whereas North Delhi stood at 49.09 per cent, which is the lowest.

Jain also said that women containing COVID-19 antibodies are more in number than men. The positivity rate in the last survey was around 25-26 per cent, he added. Dr Nutan Mundeja, Director General Health Services (DGHS), said that this time a better technology was used in conducting the survey as the samples were collected from all the wards. She added that the serosurvey was conducted with Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Medical College.

Nutan said that higher seroprevalence does not permit any change in the behaviour against COVID-19. People have to maintain social distancing, wash hands regularly and keep wearing masks to protect themselves against the infection. Jain said that there were three changes in the methodology- increase in the sample size which were collected on the basis of socio-economic conditions, new and more sensitive kit was used and the testing was done at Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences.