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Preliminary results from a Spanish study show that five percent of the Spanish population may have developed antibodies against the new coronavirus. The study was presented by the country’s government and health authorities on Wednesday, and more than 60,000 people participated.
The proportion of the population that developed antibodies also varies between different regions, according to the study. In the Madrid metropolitan area, for example, it is estimated that 11.3 percent have developed antibodies.
Tove Fall, professor of molecular epidemiology at Uppsala University, considers that the results of the Spanish study are reliable, but should be reviewed. According to her, the study may provide some guidance on the situation in Sweden.
– Spain has been one of the most affected countries and what I know is the largest study of antibodies in the population.
– Contribute information because we have not done many large studies ourselves, it gives us a better guess. I am surprised that we have not yet carried out large-scale studies in Sweden.
She highlights the importance from countries around the world that share results during an ongoing pandemic and help researchers quickly generate and review data.
– We have to do several investigations at the same time, we can not only assess the situation of the number of deaths, for example. We can analyze wastewater, we can use symptom maps and we can make estimates from 1177. All this together with registration data on morbidity and death can give us an idea of how an epidemic develops.
Björn Olsen, professor of infectious diseases, also believes that Sweden should screen more of the population, Expressen reports. He thinks it could save many lives.
– We must change our strategy, test several people and quarantine the infected. Otherwise this will continue and even more will die unnecessarily, Björn Olsen tells the newspaper.
State epidemiologist Anders Tegnell says in an interview with TT that the results of Spain do not have to reevaluate the Swedish estimate of the number of infected. He also thinks that it is difficult to compare the spread between countries.
– Especially since the disease spreads so irregularly. If it had been the flu or a disease that we know is spreading fairly evenly among the population, it could have been possible to make transfers between different countries, says Anders Tegnell.
In an interview with SVT News, Jan Albert, professor of clinical microbiology at Karolinska University Hospital, says a question about the study is how well the tests manage to catch all infected people.
– There is uncertainty about it, says Jan Albert.
Tove Fall agrees that the antibody tests used should be examined more closely to get an idea of the spread of the virus in society.
– But if they are as good as they say in the report, they are reliable, Tove Fall says.
What could be the sources of error in this study?
– For example, 62 percent of respondents participated and is relatively high, but could be selected for those who are more interested in their health or have had severe symptoms.
Read more:
Spanish study on antibodies does not worry Tegnell
Study: five percent of the Spanish population may have developed antibodies
DN debate: “Herd immunity is a dangerous and unrealistic crown strategy”
