TY - JOUR
T1 - SARS-CoV-2 Infection Is at Herd Immunity in the Majority Segment of the Population of Qatar
AU - Al-Thani, Mohamed H
AU - Farag, Elmoubasher
AU - Bertollini, Roberto
AU - Al Romaihi, Hamad Eid
AU - Abdeen, Sami
AU - Abdelkarim, Ashraf
AU - Daraan, Faisal
AU - Ismail, Ahmed
AU - Mostafa, Nahid
AU - Sahl, Mohamed
AU - Suliman, Jinan
AU - Tayar, Elias
AU - Kasem, Hasan Ali
AU - Agsalog, Meynard J A
AU - Akkarathodiyil, Bassam K
AU - Alkhalaf, Ayat A
AU - Alakshar, Mohamed Morhaf M H
AU - Al-Qahtani, Abdulsalam Ali A H
AU - Al-Shedifat, Monther H A
AU - Ansari, Anas
AU - Ataalla, Ahmad Ali
AU - Chougule, Sandeep
AU - Gopinathan, Abhilash K K V
AU - Poolakundan, Feroz J
AU - Ranbhise, Sanjay U
AU - Saefan, Saed M A
AU - Thaivalappil, Mohamed M
AU - Thoyalil, Abubacker S
AU - Umar, Inayath M
AU - Al Kanaani, Zaina
AU - Al Khal, Abdullatif
AU - Al Kuwari, Einas
AU - Butt, Adeel A
AU - Coyle, Peter
AU - Jeremijenko, Andrew
AU - Kaleeckal, Anvar Hassan
AU - Latif, Ali Nizar
AU - Shaik, Riyazuddin Mohammad
AU - Abdul Rahim, Hanan F
AU - Yassine, Hadi M
AU - Nasrallah, Gheyath K
AU - Al Kuwari, Mohamed Ghaith
AU - Chaghoury, Odette
AU - Chemaitelly, Hiam
AU - Abu-Raddad, Laith J
PY - 2021/8
Y1 - 2021/8
N2 - Background:Qatar experienced a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) epidemic that disproportionately affected the craft and manual worker (CMW) population who comprise 60% of the total population. This study aimed to assess ever and/or current infection prevalence in this population. Methods:A cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted during July 26-September 09, 2020 to assess both anti-SARS-CoV-2 positivity through serological testing and current infection positivity through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Associations with antibody and PCR positivity were identified through regression analyses. Results:Study included 2,641 participants, 69.3% of whom were <40 years of age. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 positivity was 55.3% (95% CI: 53.3-57.3%) and was significantly associated with nationality, geographic location, educational attainment, occupation, and previous infection diagnosis. PCR positivity was 11.3% (95% CI: 9.9-12.8%) and was significantly associated with nationality, geographic location, occupation, contact with an infected person, and reporting two or more symptoms. Infection positivity (antibody and/or PCR positive) was 60.6% (95% CI: 58.6-62.5%). The proportion of antibody-positive CMWs that had a prior SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis was 9.3% (95% CI: 7.9-11.0%). Only seven infections were ever severe and one was ever critical—an infection severity rate of 0.5% (95% CI: 0.2-1.0%). Conclusions:Six in every 10 CMWs have been infected, suggestive of reaching the herd immunity threshold. Infection severity was low with only one in every 200 infections progressing to be severe or critical. Only one in every 10 infections had been previously diagnosed suggestive of mostly asymptomatic or mild infections.
AB - Background:Qatar experienced a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) epidemic that disproportionately affected the craft and manual worker (CMW) population who comprise 60% of the total population. This study aimed to assess ever and/or current infection prevalence in this population. Methods:A cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted during July 26-September 09, 2020 to assess both anti-SARS-CoV-2 positivity through serological testing and current infection positivity through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Associations with antibody and PCR positivity were identified through regression analyses. Results:Study included 2,641 participants, 69.3% of whom were <40 years of age. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 positivity was 55.3% (95% CI: 53.3-57.3%) and was significantly associated with nationality, geographic location, educational attainment, occupation, and previous infection diagnosis. PCR positivity was 11.3% (95% CI: 9.9-12.8%) and was significantly associated with nationality, geographic location, occupation, contact with an infected person, and reporting two or more symptoms. Infection positivity (antibody and/or PCR positive) was 60.6% (95% CI: 58.6-62.5%). The proportion of antibody-positive CMWs that had a prior SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis was 9.3% (95% CI: 7.9-11.0%). Only seven infections were ever severe and one was ever critical—an infection severity rate of 0.5% (95% CI: 0.2-1.0%). Conclusions:Six in every 10 CMWs have been infected, suggestive of reaching the herd immunity threshold. Infection severity was low with only one in every 200 infections progressing to be severe or critical. Only one in every 10 infections had been previously diagnosed suggestive of mostly asymptomatic or mild infections.
KW - Oncology
KW - Clinical Neurology
U2 - 10.1093/ofid/ofab221
DO - 10.1093/ofid/ofab221
M3 - Article
SN - 2328-8957
VL - 8
JO - Open Forum Infectious Diseases
JF - Open Forum Infectious Diseases
IS - 8
ER -