Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, July 1: The first seroprevalence study of SARS CoV-2 Infection during 2021 today begins in Kashmir which is being conducted on the recommendations of the Government for tackling possible Third COVID Wave.
During this survey, children from seven years and above, adult population, pregnant women, health care providers and police personnel would be sampled with support from respective Deputy Commissioners and Chief Medical Officers staff and shall be monitored by five medical colleges/ institutions with each covering two districts.
During the house to house survey, across ten clusters in each district, the data shall be entered in the Epicollect5 mobile app which has been customized for various subunit surveys and blood samples would be collected and later analysed by the Department of Biochemistry, Government Medical College Srinagar, a nodal BSL-2 lab for serosurvey.
In this regard, a training workshop was conducted at the Department of Community Medicine Government Medical College Srinagar, the nodal centre for seroprevalence study in Kashmir, with partner institutions including departments of Community Medicine at SKIMS, SKIMS Medical College Bemina, Government Medical Colleges Anantnag Baramulla along with Chief Medical Officers or their representatives and epidemiologists of all districts of Kashmir Division.
The survey is personally monitored by the Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department, J&K Atal Dulloo and is being supported by JK National Health Mission and facilitated by the directorate of health services Kashmir and J&K.
“The blood samples would be tested for detecting Antibodies which would show body response to infection as well as Immunization,” said Dr S. Muhammad Salim Khan, HOD Community Medicine Government Medical College Srinagar who’s also the member of the recommending committee constituted by the government.
“We are expecting soon after district level training, the samples are collected in around two weeks and then results expected a week later,” he said.
This important study, it has been said, would guide the policymakers and implementers about necessary preparations required for the possible third wave of SARS CoV-2 Infection within the community and also would indicate the success of COVID Vaccination among various subsets of the population.
Follow our WhatsApp channel