6.9% of blood samples contain novel coronavirus anti-bodies
Scientists from the University of Antwerp say that the measures introduced in March to help curb the spread of the novel coronavirus have been effective. They base their assertion on the results of the third in a series of blood tests carried out to discover what percentage of the Belgian population has developed anti-bodies against the novel coronavirus.
In the third series of test 6.9% of those tested had developed anti-bodies against the novel coronavirus. In the first series of tests early into the lockdown 3% had antibodies.
A month later this had risen to 6% and to 6.9% by mid-May. Scientist Heidi Theeten told VRT News that "We looked at the period from the start of the lockdown to the first relaxation of the measures.
The strict measures appeared to have worked well, especially during the latter half of the period because if hardly any additional people had developed antibodies it means that the virus was hardly able to spread during this period. The figures mean that so-called “herd immunity” is a very long way off. Furthermore, it isn’t even certain whether those with anti-bodies are immune to catching the novel coronavirus.