As the state administration is currently engaged in conducting an extensive sero survey in the ICR, a study report of a similar kind conducted in Delhi has once more underlined the indispensability of it. The result of the survey which was conducted by the National Centre for Disease Control in collaboration with Delhi government was published on Tuesday by the Union Health Ministry and its content has been viewed by public health experts as extremely valuable as it has thrown more light on the inner details of coronavirus and its penetrating capabilities.  
The core contents which was based on 21,387 samples collected between June 27 and July 10 have provided deep insights and cleared much of the haze over the actual cause of rapid spike of cases in the NCT over the last two months and also a steady decline over last few days. The report has shown that around 23 % of the people i.e. 1 out of every 4 persons tested had exposure to the virus in the national capital and keeping in view that its population is nearly 2 cr, total number of Covid-19 cases is actually well over 40 lakhs which is much higher than the officially reported figure of around 1.23 lakh. If this is a cause of worry since silent spread of the deadly virus do has taken place and has not been detected by the radar, another finding has also emerged which cannot be called grim, according to various health experts. The difference between the number of people who tested positive for Covid-19 and those found to have antibodies is quite large as shown by the sero survey and if viewed from the opposite angle, it will mean that these people had been infected by the virus at some point of time and have attained immunity without medical interventions. While it will be too early to come to the conclusion that it’s a sure manifestation of herd immunity, many experts are sanguine that it may be the first signs that India might be heading towards it. If this really happens, much of the burden in the faceoff with Covid-19 will be eased and that will be a boon for the country already overwhelmed by the rising graph. Discovering the effectiveness of sero surveys, the Delhi government on Wednesday announced it’s going to be a monthly affair from now onwards.
Surely, many of the states will now take the Delhi example and embrace sero survey as a frontline Covid combat methodology. Arunachal can take cue from Delhi and the current one that is being carried in ICR can be repeated on a periodic basis and replicated in pockets requiring so.
For taking more result-oriented Covid fightback strategies in the state, sero surveys must not be ignored.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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