27% healthcare workers in Valley have antibodies

Senior official says the low figures underline the need for healthcare workers to get inoculated

SRINAGAR: A sero-survey has revealed that over one-fourth of Kashmir’s healthcare providers have antibodies against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

“Seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies among healthcare providers in Kashmir division shows 27.3% had developed antibodies,” officials said.

Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar, community medicine head Dr S Muhammad Salim Khan, who is the principal investigator of the study, says, “The study shows that healthcare providers should definitely be vaccinated as most of them are still susceptible to the infection.”

GMC, Srinagar, in collaboration with the Kashmir directorate of health services and J&K National Health Mission had conducted the survey in January. The department of community medicine had collected 2,013 samples from hospitals associated with GMC, Srinagar, all district hospitals and Police Hospital, Srinagar.

“All blood samples were tested in Abbott Architect i1000SR immunoassay analyser and 555 blood samples showed IgG antibodies with an overall seropositivity of 27.3%,” said Khan. He said, “There was some reluctance among the health care providers but no severe adverse events following immunisation

(AEFI) have been reported in the last few weeks.”

“While the government of India has asked to start the mopping up round with the second dose of Covid vaccination from 13 February, it’s imperative that all healthcare workers receive the first jab before that. The vaccine not only protects recipients but will help achieve the herd immunity,” he said.

In November 2020, Kashmir’s first ever district-wise sero survey of Covid-19 had shown antibodies in around 39% of the general population in the Valley. The study had been conducted across all the 10 districts.