One month into lockdown, less than 1% people were exposed to virus: ICMR

Less than one percent of the people who took part in a survey had been exposed to the novel coronavirus one month into the lockdown, implemented to contain the spread of COVID-19, according to the first phase of a nationwide survey undertaken by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

At least 26,400 people picked from 64 random districts across the country had their samples, more specifically their antibodies, tested for the study by ICMR. A total of 28,595 households took part in the survey.

Samples from people in 84 districts in total were collected, and samples from 64 of them have been examined so far.

NITI Aayog member Dr V K Paul said the testing was done in the third week of May, and that the results reflected the “national situation” till April 30, since it usually takes time for the antibodies to develop.

The Indian Express quoted him as saying, “The data shows that we have been able to contain the virus. To keep the pandemic at these levels is a very big achievement. Also, fortunately in India, the mortality is very low.” He also described the sampling exercise as the “biggest ever immunological survey in the world” on COVID-19.

ICMR chief Dr Balram Bhargava too shared similar sentiments and said while presenting the results of the first phase of the study on Thursday (Friday 11), “This shows that the lockdown has been successful,” according to The Indian Express.

However, ICMR chief Bhargava also cautioned that while such low levels of exposure is “good news”, it also means that large sections remain susceptible, with people in urban slums having a 1.89 times higher risk of getting the disease as compared to those in rural areas.

The 84 districts in the survey had been classified under four groups — zero cases, low incidence, medium incidence, and high incidence.

A minimum of 15 districts were selected in every group and 400 people were tested from each group.

The Indian Express also said the second phase of the survey is currently being carried out in containment zones.

For both phases of the survey, the participants’ samples are tested for the antibody ‘IgG’. If a person is found to have this antibody in their blood, it indicates that he/she had been infected by the SARS-CoV2 virus sometime in the recent past.