40 per cent in Coimbatore clusters have antibodies: Study
Blood samples collected from 504 people in Covid affected areas have shown the presence of antibodies in the fourth round of sero surveillance study.
Published: 12th July 2021 06:16 AM | Last Updated: 12th July 2021 06:16 AM | A+A A-
COVID-19 patients wearing PPE kit perform yoga on International Day of Yoga, at Codissia in Coimbatore. (Photo | PTI)
COIMBATORE: Blood samples collected from 504 people in Covid affected areas have shown the presence of antibodies in the fourth round of sero surveillance study. This has come as a relief to the health department as well as people in the district.
According to health department officials, 1,260 samples were collected in June from 42 clusters for the study. The result revealed a positivity ratio of 40 per cent, whereas the previous study conducted in February registered 22 per cent.
According to officials, the increase in positivity ratio reveals that many people have developed antibodies. “Samples were collected randomly from people above 18 years. The study ensured that a person who took part in the study earlier was not part of the fourth survey,” officials added.
Vax drive attributed
Officials attributed the rise in positivity ratio to the success of vaccination campaign. In the first phase of the study conducted last year, 22.1 per cent had antibodies while the tally dropped to 20 per cent during the second sero surveillance study.
“The residents might have been prone to get infected but have not contracted the disease as they must have generated antibodies. Similarly, the increase in positivity rate could be credited to the vaccination drives hosted in Coimbatore where many came forward to get the jab,” said sources. The level of Immunoglobulin G (IgG) was screened in the samples using about Rs 1 crore worth of chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) device installed at the district health department’s office in Race Course.
