ICMR team takes blood samples to assess Ludhiana residents’ immunity against coronavirus

The team will take at least 400 blood samples and will then separate plasma from the blood and send it to its Chennai-based institute for analysis, says civil surgeon Dr Bagga

A team of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) from Delhi visited various areas of the district on Tuesday and took random samples of blood of residents to check the level of immunity against coronavirus.

The civil surgeon said only four districts of Punjab were selected for the survey. The survey was first conducted in Patiala, followed by Jalandhar and then in Gurdaspur. Now the survey was being carried out in Ludhiana district. (HT Photo)

Civil surgeon Dr Rajesh Kumar Bagga said, “An ICMR team from Delhi visited Baddowal village under Sudhar block, Majri village under Sidhwanbet, Doraha under Payal, Ghungrali village under Manupur, Sham Nagar in the city and took random blood samples of people for testing. The purpose of taking samples is to check the level of immunity of the people against Covid-19.”

“The team will take a total of 400 samples. It will then separate plasma from the blood and send it to the ICMR’s Chennai-based institute for analysis at the central level. This analysis will make it easier to understand the extent of antibodies in humans in the district,” said Dr Bagga.

“From the survey, the team will also assess as to what stage the exposure of coronavirus has spread in the community. The survey report will be compiled at the national level followed by the statewide data,” he added.

The civil surgeon said only four districts of Punjab were selected for the survey. The survey was first conducted in Patiala, followed by Jalandhar and then in Gurdaspur. Now the survey was being carried out in Ludhiana, he said.

The team is covering 69 districts of 21 states of the country. The districts have been selected by the ICMR through GPS based cluster selectors.