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The Covid-19 epidemic is coming down. And the bulk of the grownup Danish inhabitants could have been infected through the giant wave of infections with the omicron variant.
This is the conclusion of the sixth and remaining spherical of the blood donor study, which the Statens Serum Institut (SSI) has carried out collectively with the nation’s blood banks.
Since the start of the 12 months, and at two-week intervals, the blood from the nation’s blood donors has been examined for antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. In this manner, it has been doable to estimate how many individuals have been infected in Denmark through the omikron wave.
See the outcomes of the sixth spherical of the survey .
From 14% to 68%
The first spherical of the study coated the interval from November 1 final 12 months to January 4, 2022. Here, the blood from a complete of 4,722 blood donors aged 17-72 had been examined for antibodies to covid-19.
Based on the outcomes, it was estimated that 14% of Danes aged 17-72 might have been infected with covid-19 from November 2021 to the start of January 2022.
The final spherical of the study coated till March 15, 2022, and right here the blood from 6,605 blood donors was examined.
This time, the estimated proportion who could have been infected with covid-19 since early November has risen to 68%. That is 6 proportion factors greater than the earlier spherical of the survey (week 11).
“In terms of covid-19, Denmark is therefore in a good place right now, where the vaccines and the many covid-19 infections have created a solid immunity in the population,” says SSI’s director Henrik Ullum concerning the newest outcomes of the study.
Highest in North Jutland
If you dive into the 5 areas in Denmark, you’ll be able to see that the proportion of blood donors who have been infected is highest within the North Jutland Region with 74% infected. Conversely, it’s lowest in Region Zealand with 61% infected.
There can be nonetheless a marked distinction within the proportion of infected folks in numerous age teams. The proportion is highest (74-75%) among the many youthful (17-45-year-olds) and decrease (59%) among the many older (the 46-72-year-olds).
Useful device
Now the blood donor survey is over, and at SSI, director Henrik Ullum is comfortable to have been ready to use the blood donors as half of the covid-19 monitoring.
“It has confirmed to be a really great tool to comply with the epidemic. Especially when the check technique has modified alongside the best way, and one might concern that fewer had been examined. We have already within the measurement from week 9 – three weeks after the wave peaked in week 3 – been ready to come up with a reasonably correct estimate of what number of have been infected through the omikron wave “, says Henrik Ullum. He sends a particular thanks to the blood donors:
“We would not have been able to do this without them, and therefore thank the blood donors many times for being involved,” he concludes.