BMC’s sixth sero survey: Higher antibodies found in frontline workers who took booster doses

The survey was conducted in March 2022, and its results were declared by the civic body on Wednesday

Mumbai: The sixth sero-survey which was initiated by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has revealed that antibodies were higher among those who have taken the booster doses. This was the first quantitative survey, to check for the extent of antibodies among its subjects- healthcare and frontline workers. It has detected antibodies in 99.93% of the surveyed 3,099 staffers.

The average age of the subjects was 43 years, and males constituted 57.1% of the subjects, and females constituted 49.9%. (Siarhei - stock.adobe.com)

The survey was conducted in March 2022, and its results were declared by the civic body on Wednesday. Its findings stress the benefits of taking the vaccination, BMC said in a statement on Wednesday.

The average age of the subjects was 43 years, and males constituted 57.1% of the subjects, and females constituted 49.9%.

Dr Daksha Shah, deputy executive health officer from BMC’s public health department said, “The first five sero-surveys were qualitative, meaning they detected if the antibodies were present or not. This survey was quantitative - the first-of-its-kind in Mumbai. It meant to detect the extent of antibodies. We have found anywhere between 50, 100 to 20,000 or even 30,000 antibodies in the subjects. Higher the number of antibodies, greater the protection from the severity of the Covid-19 infection.”

Out of the 3,099 subjects who are healthcare and frontline workers, whose samples were collected for the survey, 99.35% subjects have been vaccinated for Covid-19; 96.7% subjects are vaccinated with Covishield, and 3.3% have been vaccinated with Covaxin. Of the total subjects, 36.5% of subjects have taken the booster dose also called the precautionary dose of the vaccine. 15.9% of the subjects have been infected with Covid-19 in the past two years.

The findings revealed that those subjects who have been vaccinated have higher numbers of antibodies. Moreover, those who have taken the booster dose of the vaccine have a higher number of antibodies in comparison to those who have taken only two doses of the vaccine. Those who were infected with Covid-19 in the past two years also have a higher number of antibodies, and those who have taken the vaccine and also have been infected by the virus have a very high number of antibodies.

The survey will be conducted again in six months for the same subjects, to check the level of antibodies in their bodies after time has passed since their precautionary dose.

Dr Shah said, “The findings stress the importance of taking the vaccine, and moreover, the importance of taking the precautionary dose.”

On January 16, 2021, BMC started vaccination for healthcare and frontline workers. The booster or precautionary dose can be administered after the completion of nine months from the second dose, making a maximum number of healthcare and frontline workers eligible for this dose.