Bhubaneswar: Collection and testing of blood serum samples to monitor Covid-19 trends in 12 districts of Odisha began Sunday.
The state-level serological surveillance drive is being conducted by Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) Bhubaneswar.
According to an RMRC official, the serosurvey is being conducted in Balasore, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Khurda, Mayurbhanj, Nabarangpur, Puri, Sambalpur and Sundargarh districts. It has been targeted to assess and analyse the age-specific prevalence of coronavirus antibodies in people of the state, including health workers, an RMRC official said.
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Findings of the serosurvey will be useful in informing the state’s Covid-19 management and vaccination strategy, the official added.
It is pertinent to mention here that Additional Chief Secretary Pradipta Mohapatra had written a letter Saturday in this regard to the district collectors concerned to provide adequate support to RMRC teams. The massive research and analysis drive is to be carried out between August 29 and September 15.
RMRC teams will collect 6,680 samples from 12 districts in total from the general population and 100 samples from healthcare workers in each of these districts. The teams will collect samples and data from shortlisted districts as per the plan, the letter stated.
PNN