Coronavirus: Initial antibody studies show that only 4.3% of Scotland are ever infected with Covid-19

According to PHS, detection levels varied between 1.9% and 6.8% weekly.

The presence of the antibody indicates that the infection has resolved and that it has rebounded, and can occur in mild or no symptoms, providing a clearer indication of the spread of the virus.

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The antibody should also confer immunity to reinfection, but research suggests that with Covid-19, it may disappear in about 3 months.

During the pilot study, a total of 4,751 blood samples were collected from people who participated in community health services in six health board areas (Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Grampian, Highlands, Lanarkshire, Lothian, Tayside).

The sample was chosen to achieve a representative sample based on the age and gender structure of the general population in each region, but the PHS still asks, “Is these individuals representative of the general population? There is some uncertainty.”

Antibody rates were similar between men and women throughout the study.

When applied to the entire population of Scotland, it has so far shown that approximately 234,500 people may have the virus.

Depending on whether you count deaths using only confirmed positive cases or based on the death certificate that Covid mentions, the overall mortality from the virus is 1.1-1.7%.

The result of Scotland This is in good agreement with the antibody rates observed in other countries.

Spain’s largest survey to date, 61,000 in Spain, found that only 4.6% of participants were Covid-19 antibody-positive, despite the country’s high death toll.

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The authors who wrote to Lancet last week warned that the findings should be a warning against trying to achieve immunity of herds by natural infection.

They said: “Relatively low serum prevalence [antibodies present in blood] What has been observed in the context of an epidemic in Spain may serve as a reference to other countries.

“Currently, collective immunity is difficult to achieve without accepting the collateral damage of many deaths in susceptible people and without straining the health care system.”

Nor is it clear from studies whether Covid-19 antibodies provide long-term protection against viral re-illness.

According to a Spanish study, about 14% of participants who tested positive for antibodies lost their antibodies initially after 8 weeks.

Meanwhile, a UK study published this week on more than 90 patients and healthcare workers who recovered from Covid found that antibody levels peaked approximately 3 weeks after the onset of symptoms, but in some cases were detected 3 months later. I found that I can no longer

Whether to develop another line of defense, such as cellular immunity, is unknown, but if antibodies are the primary defense, people can be reinfected by seasonal waves, as occurs in the common cold. Suggests that.

It also means that the Covid vaccine provides only temporary immunity.

Dr. Katie Doers, lead author of studies at King’s College London, said: “Infections tend to lead to the best scenarios for antibody responses, so if an infection is producing antibody levels that worsen in a couple of months, the vaccine potentially does the same.

“People may need a boost, and one shot may not be enough.”

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Scotland’s antibody test results show that these were “to some extent the most done since us when Nicola Sturgeon talked about her tensions as indoor hospitality, beauty salons and co-worship were resumed for the first time in Scotland since March. It’s a high risk change.” I’m starting to get out of lockdown.”

“Many of them are related to indoor activities, and we know that the risk of a virus spreading indoors (eg, in a pub) is significantly higher than outdoors,” she said.

“So we deliberately waited until the infection level was very low before allowing these services to restart.

“This will most likely manage the risks posed by the resumption of indoor services, but those risks will not be eliminated.”

She said it was more important than ever to be “very vigilant” to the early warning that incidents were on the rise.

In addition to Test and Protect, NHS 24 call data will be analyzed for signs of possible community infection, based on those who called the Helpline with Covid-like symptoms, he said. ..

However, the Prime Minister welcomed a “very important milestone” after Scotland recorded three days with zero Covid-related hospitalization last week.

She also reported that there were no consecutive 7-day deaths of patients diagnosed with the virus, the Scottish National Record recorded 13 deaths, and Covid was listed on the death certificate from 1 week to Sunday. It was -march.

The total number of people who died in Scotland continues to decline for all causes.

Over the past three weeks, the number of deaths recorded was 116 less than the average-including 56 last week-this could be due to some illnesses and older people dying earlier in the year due to a pandemic.