Pune’s first sero survey results to be out by Aug 15 - Hindustan Times
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Pune’s first sero survey results to be out by Aug 15

Hindustan Times, Pune | By
Aug 11, 2020 06:00 PM IST

In Mumbai, the sero survey revealed presence of antibodies in 57% of those surveyed in slums and 16% in non-slums.

The findings of Pune’s first Covid-19 sero (serological) surveillance study will be out this week as Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) goes ahead with another survey led by BJ Medical College.

The findings of the first sero survey, conducted by Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) along with Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), will be released by August 15.(Pratham Gokhale/HT Photo)
The findings of the first sero survey, conducted by Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) along with Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), will be released by August 15.(Pratham Gokhale/HT Photo)

The findings of the first sero survey, conducted by Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) along with Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), will be released by August 15, said IISER scientists involved in the activity.

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“We will come out with findings about presence of antibodies by mid-August. The findings won’t include factors like neutralising effect, which will take time,” said IISER professor Aurnab Ghose.

As part of sero survey, IISER and SPPU collected random blood samples from 1,550 persons from slum and non-slum pockets from five wards.

Purpose of the surveillance project and its utility for PMC is to make appropriate decisions in the coming months with project funded by Persistent Systems. The community-based sero survey helps identify presence of antibodies among vulnerable population. The presence of antibodies indicates that the person who contracted the infection has developed resistance to the virus.

Both Mumbai and Delhi have already completed similar studies. In Mumbai, the sero survey revealed presence of antibodies in 57% of those surveyed in slums and 16% in non-slums.

“It gives us a direction and is a reasonable indicator, but not necessarily a very strong pointer to suggest it means herd immunity,” said Ghose

The second sero study in Pune will be carried out by BJ Medical College’s Microbiology department along with SPPU and IISER.

What is sero survey?

It includes collecting samples of people to identify whether they have developed antibodies

What does presence of antibodies indicate?

It indicates that the person who contracted the infection has developed resistance to the virus

What is sample size in Pune?

IISER and SPPU collected random blood samples from 1,550 persons from slum and non-slum pockets from five wards

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Yogesh Joshi is Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times. He covers politics, security, development and human rights from Western Maharashtra.

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