Bhubaneswar: Amid predictions by experts that the third possible wave of Covid-19 can affect more children, the latest sero survey in Odisha has found that the prevalence of antibodies in a population of 6-18 years more than 70 percent.
Experts feel high antibodies show children may not be vulnerable as they are feared.
SERO-Surveys are carried out together by the Department of Health and Welfare of the Family and the ICMR-Regional Medical Research Center (RMRC) Bhubaneswar in 12 countries from 29 August to 15 September.
For the first time, children under 18 years were included in the state-level sero survey.
The official source said the sero prevalence was found by around 70 percent in the age group of 6-10 years.
It was 74 percent for the 11-18 year age group.
“The prevalence of sero is higher among adults compared to children or parents,” said Sanghamitra Pati, Director of ICMR-RMRC Bhubaneswar.
Pati said, “The presence of antibodies to Covid-19 in more than 70 percent of children in Odisha is a significant finding.
The results of this survey in children are encouraging.” The overall prevalence of Sero in the entire country for antibodies against Covid-19 is more Of the 73 percent in the general population and more than 93 percent among health care workers.
Among seropositive adults, 66.5 percent have received at least one dose of covid vaccine, Pati said.
The prevalence of Sero is the highest in Khurda (81 percent) and the lowest in Jajpur (68 percent).
Antibodies were found among 75.83 percent of people in Keonjhar District followed by the default, 75.58 percent in Kandhamal, 75.56 in Puri, 75.06 in Sambalpur, 73.6 in Balasore, 72.14 in Nabarangapur, 71.1 percent on Jharsuguda, 68.81 in Jharsuguda, 68.81 in Jharsuguda and 68.53 in Mayurbhanj.
He said there was no difference between urban-rural areas or male women in connection with sero-prevalence or vaccine coverage.
About 48 percent of women have received at least one vaccine dose compared to men 45.6 percent, he added.