HYDERABAD: Around half of the children aged between six and nine years were exposed to Covid-19 towards the end of the second wave of Covid-19 in Telangana.
The National Institute of Nutrition conducted the fourth round of Sero-prevalence Survey in the State in the month of June, in the districts of Jangaon, Nalgonda and Kamareddy, and announced the outcomes of the survey on Friday. It was for the first time that children were included in the survey. About 55 per cent of the children between six and nine years tested positive for Covid-19 antibodies and it was 61 per cent among adolescents.
According to NIN, on an average 60.1 per cent of all participants in the fourth round of survey tested positive for Covid- 19 antibodies.
It was 24.1 per cent in December 2020, 12.2 per cent in August 2020 and 0.33 per cent in May 2020, when the first round o f surve y was conducted.
An interesting finding of the survey is that the positivity for Covid-19 antibodies among the people who were vaccinated, was 78.5 per cent among those who received only one shot and 94 per cent among those who received both shots.
Dr A Laxmaiah, Head of Public Health Division in NIN and Nodal officer for the Telangana Sero-prevalence Study said, “Nearly 100 per cent sero-positvity among those vaccinated clearly indicates that vaccines are effective. This should encourage people to get vaccinated.”
Adding a word of caution, Dr Hemalatha R, NIN Director said, “Although over 60 per cent people have antibodies, over 40 per cent of population is still susceptible. This is not the time to lower our guard.”
643 cases, 4 Covid deaths in TS
Telangana reported 643 cases of Covid-19 on Friday. This takes the active caseload to 9,729. Amongst the previously infected cases, around 767 individuals recovered on the day. The highest cases were seen in Greater Hyderabad with 77 cases, followed by 68 in Karimnagar. The third highest cases were in Khammmam with 57 infections, followed by 54 in Warangal Urban. Apart from this, four people died taking the death toll to 3,778