100% BEST drivers, conductors developed antibodies

A latest sero-survey conducted among the drivers and conductors attached with BEST has revealed that 100% of the frontline workers have developed antibodies against Covid

Mumbai A latest sero-survey conducted among the drivers and conductors attached with Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) has revealed that 100% of the frontline workers have developed antibodies against Covid.

he latest survey has been planned in a different manner compared to the previous tests due to which samples from only frontline workers employed with the BEST were tested between March 28 and 30 (HT PHOTO)

The latest survey has been planned in a different manner compared to the previous tests due to which samples from only frontline workers employed with the BEST were tested between March 28 and 30. Earlier, samples from random citizens were collected.

Dr Anil Kumar Singhal, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of BEST, said that a total of 776 samples of various drivers and conductors from all the depots in Mumbai were collected. Out of the total samples, 128 were infected with Covid at some point of time, 192 had comorbidities and the remaining 456 patients were neither comorbid nor did they ever contract Covid.

“The sample size mainly included drivers, conductors and officials from the BEST traffic wing who were on the ground ever since the pandemic broke out. All the 776 on-duty employees, who had given their samples, are fully-vaccinated and have been reporting for work as usual,” said Dr. Singhal.

This is the sixth sero survey that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has carried out to understand the pattern of Covid antibodies. In the previous or fifth survey, that was conducted between August 8 and September 9, it was revealed that 87 per cent of the 8,000 plus citizens that were tested had developed antibodies.

Dr Lancelot Pinto, Mumbai-based pulmonologist, said, “Earlier, population-based surveys had shown prevalence of antibodies to be as high as over 90 per cent and considering the nature of job, it isn’t surprising that a significant number of them may have got infected.”

“However, considering all the employees who had given their samples for testing were vaccinated, it can be assumed that vaccination contributed significantly to the presence of antibodies too,” added Dr Pinto.

He also maintained that while the magnitude of antibodies declines with time, vaccination and prior infection can continue to protect against future severe disease through mechanisms other than antibody-mediated immunity.

According to official data, a total of 3,935 BEST employees had been infected with Covid since March 2020, out of which 2,918 employees were infected during the first wave, 752 employees were infected during the second wave and 265 employees were infected during the third wave.

“The numbers clearly indicate that with time, the infection rate among BEST workers went down. This happened because we have been proactive towards building the immunity of the workers and have been distributing zinc and iron tablets. Also since February, no fresh infections among BEST workers have been reported and there are zero active cases in the undertaking at present,” said Dr Singhal and added that another sero-survey will be conducted on these employees to determine the longevity of the antibodies.