Salalah: Dhofar Governorate is all set to carry out the National Serological Survey, an initiative of the Ministry of Health to identify antibodies that are created by the immune system when someone is infected with the virus as well as antigens in a person’s blood.
A source at the General Directorate of Health Services in Dhofar said the survey would be done for over 10 weeks.
Survey teams are getting ready and identification of the areas being marked for the purpose.
Commenting on the need for the survey, a specialist at the MoH said, “The serological survey is a way to measure the immunity of the population against the virus and one of the most important elements for epidemiological evaluation and monitoring of the disease. Some studies have shown that resistance to COVID-19 is determined in part by the degree of immunity against the disease.”
The investigation, according to him, is important because laboratory tests have confirmed cases in the Sultanate that are continuing to escalate. “It has become necessary to conduct a survey that will help determine the extent of infection in the community and thus allow conclusions to be made about the rate of cumulative spread in various groups of society.”
The serological survey is aimed at measuring the prevalence of COVID-19 infection in the Omani society, as part of the national strategy to deal with the pandemic and use the result to determine the day-to-day functioning in the country.
The results of the survey would be useful and can be used as an indicator when it is possible to keep open or close services and facilities in the country, as well as estimate the extent of the virus by age groups.
“This is aimed at monitoring laboratory inactive cases, and estimating the level of infection at the state level and the rate asymptomatic and the cumulative number of infections, in addition to estimating the impact of the standard of living on the spread of the disease in the state,” the specialist said.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
