50% children in Mumbai had COVID antibodies: BMC sero survey

Fifty-per cent of children in Mumbai hospital wards had developed antibodies against COVID-19, revealed a new sero survey conducted by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

These results have provided some relief and may “prove promising’ against a predicted third wave that is expected to hit the state in the coming weeks and months, said a News18 report.

In fact, this sero-survey of SARS-CoV-2 infection, which was conducted by BYL Nair Hospital and Kasturba Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory of BMC, was primarily done because of the “imminent danger” of a third wave and the danger it presented to children.

The survey was conducted in May and June in 24 wards of Mumbai. Ten thousand children between the age group of 6 and 18 years were sampled.

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The survey results not only showed that more than 50 per cent of the pediatric population in healthcare settings had antibodies to COVID-19. They also discovered that when compared to an earlier sero-survey, the proportion of children having antibodies had increased.

In the March 2021 sero-positivity study, the sero-positivity rate was 39.4 per cent in the age group of children lesser than 18 years old.

Quoting a BMC press release, the News18 report stated that this latest study made it clear that more than 50 per cent of children in healthcare settings have already been exposed to SARS-COV-2. And, this had happened during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moreover, the overall sero-positivity of children in the age group of 1 to 18 years was 51.18 per cent, with the highest rate being recorded in the 10-14 years age group at 53.43 per cent.

The 5 to 9 years age group had a sero-positivity rate of 47.33 per cent. The BMC said that the sero-positivity rate of 1 to 4 years was 51.04 per cent, 10 to 14 years was 53.43 per cent and 15 to 18 years was 51.39 per cent.