A COVID-19 sero-prevalence study conducted under WHO Unity by experts, including doctors from the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), found that SARS-CoV-2 sero-positivity rate among children is high and comparable to the adult population. Therefore, it is unlikely that any future third wave of the prevailing COVID-19 variant would disproportionately affect children aged two years and above, the study said.
The study found that in resettlement colonies in South Delhi's urban areas which have a very congested population had a very high (highest reported yet in any sero-assessment) sero-prevalence of 74.7 per cent, Dr Puneet Misra, Professor of Community Medicine at AIIMS, New Delhi, who led the survey said.
"The sero-prevalence was 55.7 percent in the below 18 years age group and 63.5 percent in the above 18 years age group. There was no statistically significant difference in prevalence between adult and children," the findings stated.
It is to be noted that even before the second wave, children below the age of 18 in South Delhi had as much seroprevalence (73.9 percent) as the below 18 years (74.8 percent).
COVID-19 vaccines protected 92 pc vaccinated healthcare workers: Fortis Healthcare
Covid-19: Delta variant takes dominant in England, finds study
Study reveals, Covid-19 can activate dormant bacterial infection, tuberculosis