A COVID-19 antibody survey conducted in Sierra Leone is the first nationally representative investigation of COVID-19 seroprevalence conducted on the African continent and presents evidence of large-scale underreporting of cases and low vaccination rates. Results of the study, based on data collected in March 2021, are published in BMJ Global Health .
“Our findings remind us that there still may be significant under-reporting of COVID-19 in various countries throughout the region,” said Eugene T. Richardson, MD, PhD, Divisions of Infectious Diseases and Global Health Equity, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and corresponding author of the paper in BMJ Global Health. “There are still likely significant portions of the population that don’t have acquired immunity to infection with earlier SARS-CoV-2 variants, and there are still very low vaccination rates in the region. This means populations may be at higher risk for severe illness if infected with the Omicron variant.”
The researchers found:
Together, these findings are cause for grave concern, according to Richardson.
“We are calling for more rapid vaccine deployments in countries like Sierra Leone as part of global vaccine justice, including support for intellectual property waivers and technology transfers,” he said. “We hope this study also encourages other nations to conduct serosurveys since they can provide data that are vital to understanding the pandemic’s progression.”
Disclosures: none
Funding: This study was supported by NIAID K08 AI139361, NIH/NIGMS R01 GM130900, the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation, and the Africa CDC.
Paper cited: Barrie MB et al. “SARS-CoV-2 antibody prevalence in Sierra Leone, March 2021: a cross-sectional, nationally representative, age-stratified serosurvey” BMJ Global Health DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-007271
BMJ Global Health
Observational study
People
SARS-CoV-2 antibody prevalence in Sierra Leone, March 2021: a cross-sectional, nationally representative, age-stratified serosurvey
11-Nov-2021
None