81% in A’bad have antibodies: AMC final sero survey report

Covid antibody levels among Amdavadis are the highest in the residents of the city’s southwest zone, which spans areas such as Vejalpur, Jodhpur, Sarkhej, and Maktampura. In this zone, about 87% of the sampled population had Covid antibodies.

The figure is reflected in the final results of the fifth round of Covid sero survey, conducted between May 28 and June 3 after the deadly second wave.

The overall seropositivity of about 5,000 individuals sampled by the AMC is 81.63%. The TOI had reported in June that preliminary results of this sero survey had pegged 70% plus Amdavadis had antibodies against Covid-19.

Along with southwest zone, 87% population of the south zone too had Covid antibodies. This zone encompasses areas such as Maninagar, Indrapuri, Kankaria, Vatva, Lambha, and Behrampura.

The high seropositivity in these zones has been attributed to two factors: Delta variant infections and vaccinations.

The latest seropositivity report tracks the rampage of the second wave in Ahmedabad from April to May. “In our fourth serosurveillance drive carried out in February, we had found that 27.92% of the sampled population had Covid antibodies,” a senior AMC official said. “By May-end, the Delta variant had infected big number of the population. The previous variants were not as infectious as the Delta variant.”

Seropositivity higher among men, says report

The latest seropositivity report tracks the rampage of the second wave in Ahmedabad from April to May.

“In our fourth serosurveillance drive carried out in February, we had found that 27.92% of the sampled population had Covid antibodies,” a senior Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) official said.

“By May-end, the Delta variant had infected big number of the population. The previous variants were not as infectious as the Delta variant.” In 2020, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporationhad completed three serosurveys — in June, August, and October.

These surveys showed that just 17.6%, 23.2%, and 24.2% of the populations sampled had antibodies.

The latest serosurvey discerned a higher seropositivity among men as compared to women.

The survey found that 82% of the 1,900 sampled men had antibodies; the figure for 2,100 women was 81%.

The seropositivity was 76.7% among those who had no history of Covid or were not vaccinated, the report says.

The seropositivity was 97.4% among those who had contracted Covid and had taken two vaccine shots.