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Source: https://kathmandupost.com/health/20...n-already-exposed-to-the-virus-new-study-says
Half of the population already exposed to the virus, new study says
Experts caution against interpreting the number as achieving herd immunity and call for taking precautionary measures and scaling up vaccination.
Arjun Poudel
Published at : August 16, 2021
Updated at : August 16, 2021 08:42
Kathmandu
Over 50 percent of the country’s population has already been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 that causes Covid-19, according to a preliminary report of a large-scale seroprevalence study carried out by the Ministry of Health and Population.
The nationwide study carried out in 76 of the 77 districts of the country, except for Manang, in July, with technical as well as financial support from the World Health Organisation, has found that the majority of the population in densely populated cities across the country has antibodies for the coronavirus.
“A preliminary report of the study shows that over 50 percent of the country’s population was found to have antibodies against the coronavirus,” an official at the Health Ministry told the Post on condition of anonymity.
Antibodies are found in people who are already infected with the coronavirus or have been vaccinated.
“About 97 percent of the work of the seroprevalence survey has been completed and preliminary findings show a large percentage of the population has Covid-19 antibodies,” Dr Krishna Prasad Paudel, spokesperson for the Health Ministry, told the Post. “Though the final report is yet to be prepared, a significant portion of the population, which could be 50 percent, already has coronavirus antibodies.”
As blood samples were collected randomly for the study, samples of the vaccinated population were also included.
According to the latest data of the Ministry of Health, 4,684,509 people, or 15.61 percent of the country’s total population, have taken the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine while 3,364,157, or 11.21 percent, have been fully vaccinated...
Half of the population already exposed to the virus, new study says
Experts caution against interpreting the number as achieving herd immunity and call for taking precautionary measures and scaling up vaccination.
Arjun Poudel
Published at : August 16, 2021
Updated at : August 16, 2021 08:42
Kathmandu
Over 50 percent of the country’s population has already been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 that causes Covid-19, according to a preliminary report of a large-scale seroprevalence study carried out by the Ministry of Health and Population.
The nationwide study carried out in 76 of the 77 districts of the country, except for Manang, in July, with technical as well as financial support from the World Health Organisation, has found that the majority of the population in densely populated cities across the country has antibodies for the coronavirus.
“A preliminary report of the study shows that over 50 percent of the country’s population was found to have antibodies against the coronavirus,” an official at the Health Ministry told the Post on condition of anonymity.
Antibodies are found in people who are already infected with the coronavirus or have been vaccinated.
“About 97 percent of the work of the seroprevalence survey has been completed and preliminary findings show a large percentage of the population has Covid-19 antibodies,” Dr Krishna Prasad Paudel, spokesperson for the Health Ministry, told the Post. “Though the final report is yet to be prepared, a significant portion of the population, which could be 50 percent, already has coronavirus antibodies.”
As blood samples were collected randomly for the study, samples of the vaccinated population were also included.
According to the latest data of the Ministry of Health, 4,684,509 people, or 15.61 percent of the country’s total population, have taken the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine while 3,364,157, or 11.21 percent, have been fully vaccinated...