The study showed how many people have antibodies against covid – TVNOVINY.sk

Unilabs’ private laboratory network has conducted a study on what percentage of our population has antibodies to COVID-19.

It revealed that between the summer of 2021 and the beginning of January this year, ie mostly in the delta wave, approximately 1.2 million people overcame the disease. The head of the company, Peter Lednický, informed about it.

About a quarter of Slovakia could have antibodies. They analyzed more than 4,000 samples in the research. They implemented it in connection with the beginning of the omicron wave.

“We looked at the data at a time when the delta wave was receding and the omicron wave was starting,” Lednický said, adding that these were the results of examinations in the second and third weeks of January. According to him, the research should therefore capture especially those who became infected during the delta wave.

Analysis of 4,221 samples showed that 23.62 percent of people had a positive or cut-off value. The research focused on the study of antibodies to the N-protein, the so-called nucleocapsid antibodies. These arise in the body only after overcoming the disease. “We can differentiate who has antibodies after vaccination, and vice versa, who has antibodies just by overcoming the disease,” Lednický explained.

Due to the regions, the Banská Bystrica and Žilina regions were hit the hardest. The least affected region was Bratislava.

“Paradoxically, the most mobile Bratislava recorded almost the least overtaking of the Delta. The reason is the high vaccination rate compared to the rest of Slovakia, “added Lednický. In this context, he reminded that immunity can be built in two ways, namely by vaccination or overcoming the disease.