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CEBU CITY – The Department of Health (DOH) in Central Visayas is investigating whether herd immunity to coronavirus has developed among vendors in the city’s largest public market, Carbon.
Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, DOH regional spokesperson, said there is a need to collect more evidence to confirm whether herd immunity or a large group of people gaining immunity against SARS Cov2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has emerged among providers.
“Herd immunity is more likely to occur with vaccines,” Loreche said.
“So, for now, let’s comply with health standards that can prevent the transmission of the virus and at the same time protect us from getting sick,” Loreche told reporters.
Herd immunity can be achieved if 70 to 80 percent of a community has been exposed to the virus and developed immunity, health officials said. In the United States, proposals to introduce herd immunity were interpreted to allow SARS Cov2 to run its course and infect as many people as possible. Critics of the proposals said they amounted to mass murder.
Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and antibody tests were performed at 2,191 vendors from September 30 to October 2. The results showed that only 33 tested positive for the coronavirus.
According to Loreche, the results of the antibody tests showed that at least 47 percent, or nearly half, of the providers had developed IgC, which was “an antibody produced by an individual exposed to SARS Cov2 as a means of defense against it. “.
“Its appearance in the blood may mean that there may be past exposure or infection or recovery from the virus,” he said.
Basically, this meant that a large number of vendors had already developed antibodies to the virus.
Loreche, also a chief pathologist for the DOH regional office, said epidemiologists refrain from using “herd immunity” because it can mean that 70 to 80 percent of the population has been exposed to the virus.
“But for Cebu City we have definitely flattened the curve,” he said.
He said that based on surveillance at Carbon, “we can safely say that vendors, stall owners showed a very low rate of positivity with IgC present, which may mean past exposure or already recoveries.”
As of October 19, Cebu City recorded a total of 10,172 COVID-19 cases, but only 206 were active. The city also recorded a total of 678 deaths and 9,288 recoveries.
TSB
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What you need to know about the coronavirus.
For more information on COVID-19, call the DOH hotline: (02) 86517800 local 1149/1150.
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