Jahnavi Sarma
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The second serological survey conducted in Delhi between August 1 and 7 has found that 29.1 per cent of the city's population has developed antibodies against COVID-19. This was stated by state health minister Satyendar Jain today at a press conference. The survey results also showed the prevalence of antibodies among women was more (32.2 per cent) compared to men (28.3 per cent).
The findings of the second survey show that the prevalence of antibodies among the people has increased by over 6 percentage points when compared to the first survey held between June 27 and July 10. The earlier survey had shown that many as 22.86 per cent of people developed antibodies against the disease. The first survey screened 21,387 people. But in the second survey, 15,000 samples were collected. A third round of survey will also be held soon. According to Jain, the exercise will begin from September 1 and will go on for a similar duration as earlier.
According to the second survey, prevalence of antibodies among those aged less than 18 was 34.7 per cent, and 28.5 per cent for those between 18-50. For those above 50, it was 31.2 per cent. According to government officials, the latest findings, which says that those aged under 18 had the maximum antibodies compared to other age groups, will play a crucial role in the government's decisions to open schools and colleges. Earlier, in his Independence Day speech on August 15, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the government will not open schools until it is fully convinced about the city's COVID-19 situation.
Giving the district-wise break-up, the health minister said the southeast district has seen the biggest increase in people developing antibodies. The lowest increase was seen in northeast Delhi, which once had the highest number of COVID-19 cases. The report showed the southeast district has seen a maximum increase in the prevalence of antibodies among people when compared with the findings of the earlier surveys. It was earlier 22.12 per cent and this time it was found to be 33.2 per cent. This is followed by the south district, where the increase was from 18.61 per cent to 27.2 per cent.
But, after the southeast district, the areas with the highest prevalence of antibodies among people are north district (31.6 per cent), followed by central district (31.4 per cent). In the southwest district, 16.3 per cent of the people have been found to have developed antibodies, which is the lowest of all the 11 districts in Delhi. The second-lowest was the New Delhi district at 24.6 per cent).
When you recover from any disease, your body develops antibodies, which provide immunity to the said disease for a certain period of time. So, any person who acquired the COVID-19 virus will also develop antibodies, which will give them some immunity from getting this disease in future. Antibodies are found in high numbers anywhere between 3 and 8 months since the recovery of a COVID-19 patient. In the process, the person also develops T-cells because of which the chances of contracting COVID-19 again become extremely low.
According to Jain, Delhi seems to be heading towards herd immunity. But even then, a second wave cannot be totally ruled out. A lot more needs to be done to stop transmission of this disease in the city.
(With inputs from Agencies)