Chandigarh:
Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij will launch the third round of the sero survey in the state on June 15 to determine the prevalence of coronavirus antibodies in the community, especially in children aged 6-17.
Additional Chief Secretary (Health), Rajeev Arora said all the necessary preparations in this regard have already been made.
The study will also collect data to know the effect and efficacy of the coronavirus vaccine besides helping the government in planning and strengthening paediatric services, including the establishment and upscaling of intensive care units.
The study is to provide us information regarding susceptible populations and areas in the state to prioritise the vaccination drive, he said in a statement.
Arora said the aim of this round of sero survey is to identify the impact of the second wave of COVID-19. Children aged six and above have also been included in the study to assess seroprevalence in them, he said.
Arora further said the state has already conducted two rounds of sero surveys, the first in August 2020 wherein seroprevalence of COVID- 19 was found to be 8 per cent and the second round was conducted in October, wherein seroprevalence of COVID-19 was found to be 14.8 per cent in the whole state.
Sero survey or seroprevalence studies are based on the analysis of antibodies collected through blood sample collection.
