Indore: While the increasing cases of Covid-19 have become a concern for the people, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College’s study has shown a silver lining.
The study conducted by the Transfusion Medicine Department of the college suggested that over 35-40 percent of the population has developed antibodies against Covid -19.
If going through the numbers, over 12.5 lakh people across the district have developed antibodies against the deadly disease if the population of Indore is assumed to be 32 lakh.
“The study conducted by the Transfusion Medicine Department suggests that anti-body is developed among population gradually. It was about 7.2 percent in August when Sero Surveillance was done and now it is developed in 35-40 percent people,” Dean of MGM Medical College Dr Sanjay Dixit said.
He said that the study was conducted on the basis of antibody tests done on the people who reached the Blood Bank of Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital.
HoD of Transfusion Medicine Department Dr Ashok Yadav said, “We have made it compulsory to test anti-body among the people reaching to hospital for donating blood. We tested IgG antibodies in the blood donors which suggest that about 35-40 per cent people got infected by COVID-19 but remained asymptomatic and didn’t even know about being infected.”
IgG antibodies can be found among people only after vaccination or when infected with the disease but recovered.
“During the study, we have even found that over 50 percent of people have developed antibodies but the overall data is about 35-40 percent. It is a good sign that a large number of people developed antibodies against the disease and turned immune to COVID-19 which emerged as pandemic,” he added.
Sero Survey deferred
After getting good results of the study conducted in the Transfusion Medicine Department, MGM Medical College has decided to defer the Sero Survey.
“Yes, we have deferred the Sero Survey in Indore. With the study conducted over blood donors, we are getting a trend of antibodies developed in people and it is feasible to prepare the strategy and policy about the management of COVID-19,” Dr Dixit said.
The results of the study will also help the government to avoid unnecessary expenditures over the Sero Survey.
Antibody report of healthy blood donors
Month Total Tests COVID-19 IgG Antibody positive Percent
September 1323 197 14.8
October 1128 367 32.5
November 1590 615 38.6
Total 4041 1179 29.17
Antibody Report of blood donors in last 15 days
Date Total Tests COVID-19 IgG Antibody positive Percent
Nov 17 92 28 29.4
Nov 18 92 42 45.65
Nov 19 87 32 36.7
Nov 20 82 37 45.12
Nov 21 69 22 31.8
Nov 23 92 33 35.8
Nov 24 92 28 30.4
Nov 25 64 31 48.4
Nov 26 92 34 36.9
Nov 27 92 31 33.6
Dec 1 84 20 23.8
Dec 3 76 38 50
Dec 5 92 43 46.7
