Hyderabad, 21st June 2021,
The ICMR-National Institute
of Nutrition in association with the Telangana State Government will take up
the fourth round of the community-based sero-surveillance survey in Jangaon,
Kamareddy and Nalgonda Districts of Telangana. This study is in continuation of
the earlier three rounds conducted in these districts in May, August and
December 2020. This survey will include all age groups like in the previous
three phases - 10-17year adolescents and
above 18 year adults and healthcare
workers (HCWs). However, 6–9-year children are also being included for the
first time,
IgG antibody based
sero-positivity indicates the extent of spread in general population. This will
help monitor the trends of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the general
population and frontline workers, thus forming the basis for strengthening
control measures for the impending spike in numbers, if any.
“This will be the fourth in the serial
cross-sectional surveys, about 400 subjects will be covered from 10 villages of
each of the three districts. In addition, 100 HCWs from district hospitals,
community health centres and so on, will be covered from each district” said Dr A Laxmaiah, Head of the Public
Health Division at ICMR-NIN and the co-ordinator of the survey
Dr
Hemalatha R, Director, ICMR-NIN said, “the
population based seroepidemiological studies will help us determine the burden
of COVID-19 infection at the community level. For this purpose, we are actively
working in association with the Telangana state government. We are happy that
the state health department and the district authorities have ensured smooth
operationalization of this surveillance”
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