Delhi needs quick sero survey to assess Covid-19, suggests AIIMS doctor

With Delhi poised for phased process of unlocking from Monday in view of the dip in Covid-19 positivity rate, Dr Sanjay Rai, Professor of Community Medicine Department at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) suggested conducting a quick sero survey to assess the prevalence of the novel coronavirus in the national capital.

"There is still some risk of Covid-19 transmission. However, looking at the official data of Covid-19 cases, we can say that the majority of Delhi's population have already been exposed to the infection. Thus, in my opinion, a quick sero survey should be done to know about the status of the infection in Delhi," said Dr Rai.

According to the AIIMS professor, the unlocking process is a welcome step. However, he said, on the basis of the results of sero survey, constant monitoring of the population and immunising people by inoculating Covid vaccines is also necessary to help bring back things to normalcy.

Speaking to ANI he said, "Suppose in some area, the infection rate is more than 70 per cent, then we assume that after 70 per cent, that population will achieve herd immunity, either by taking vaccine or by natural infection. Now, if the natural infection rate is more than 70 per cent in a particular area, it implies that the area is close to herd immunity. Thus, we should move towards normalcy in that area."

"However, if any area has an infection rate of less than 70 per cent or is much lower, then aggressive immunisation campaign should be done in that area," he added.

Less than 1,000 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in Delhi in the last 24 hours, for the first time since the second wave of the pandemic spread across the country. Following the decline in daily infections, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asserted that more relaxations will be provided with regard to the Covid induced lockdown as cases decline in future.

While speaking to media persons on Saturday, Kejriwal said, "Around 900 Covid-19 cases have been reported in Delhi in the last 24 hours. This is for the first time (during the second wave) that we have reported cases below 1,000."

On Friday, he had announced to gradually lift the ongoing lockdown from Monday onwards by permitting construction and manufacturing works in the national capital.