Serological survey to collect 7,500 random samples in Bhopal
| Date :08-Sep-2020 |
A healthcare worker taking sample of a woman for serological
survey in Bhopal on Monday.
Staff Reporter ;
An eight-day serological survey has begun in the State capital on Monday to determine the prevalence of the coronavirus infection among the people. More than five dozen teams, including health officials and others, will collect 7,500 random samples of people within eight days. The serological survey will involved testing the blood serum of a group of individuals to determine the presence of anti-bodies against the COVID-19 infection.
The health teams underwent training to conduct these tests. On Monday, the teams took random samples of residents of Emerald Colony, Jahangirabad, Mangalwara and other places. The teams will focus more on those places where mass spread of the virus was witnessed or where a very few people contracted the virus. Sampling for the survey was done on reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) machines.
Once the target of sample collection is achieved, the samples will be sent for testing. Depending upon the level of sero prevalence of infection, appropriate health interventions can be planned and implemented for prevention and control of the disease. If 40-50 per cent people develop anti-bodies then it is said that the community has developed herd immunity against the virus.