1. The Study to Investigate COVID-19 Infection in People Living in Ireland (SCOPI): A seroprevalence study, June to July 2020
- Author
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Michele Tait, Fiona O'Callaghan, Derval Igoe, Jeff Connell, Thomas Roux, Siobhán O’Sullivan, Nuala O’Connor, Cillian De Gascun, Meadhbh Hunt, Lelia Thornton, Laura Heavey, Aoife M Colgan, Mary T. Keogan, Patricia Garvey, Fiona Culkin, and Margaret O'Sullivan
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,Epidemiology ,Cross-sectional study ,Population ,Antibodies, Viral ,Seroepidemiologic Studies ,Virology ,Humans ,Seroprevalence ,Medicine ,education ,Sampling frame ,education.field_of_study ,SARS-CoV-2 ,business.industry ,Research ,Public health ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,COVID-19 ,Simple random sample ,Confidence interval ,Vaccination ,Cross-Sectional Studies ,business ,Ireland ,Demography - Abstract
Background Robust data on SARS-CoV-2 population seroprevalence supplement surveillance data in providing evidence for public health action. Aim To conduct a SARS-CoV-2 population-based seroprevalence survey in Ireland. Methods Using a cross-sectional study design, we selected population samples from individuals aged 12–69 years in counties Dublin and Sligo using the Health Service Executive Primary Care Reimbursement Service database as a sampling frame. Samples were selected with probability proportional to the general population age–sex distribution, and by simple random sampling within age–sex strata. Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 were detected using the Abbott Architect SARS-CoV-2 IgG Assay and confirmed using the Wantai Assay. We estimated the population SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence weighted for age, sex and geographic area. Results Participation rates were 30% (913/3,043) and 44% (820/1,863) in Dublin and Sligo. Thirty-three specimens had detectable SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (1.9%). We estimated weighted seroprevalences of 3.12% (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.05–4.53) and 0.58% (95% CI: 0.18–1.38) for Dublin and Sligo, and 1.69% (95% CI: 1.13–2.41) nationally. This equates to an estimated 59,482 (95% CI: 39,772–85,176) people aged 12–69 years nationally having had infection with SARS-CoV-2, 3.0 (95% CI: 2.0–4.3) times higher than confirmed notifications. Ten participants reported a previous laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 -infection; eight of these were antibody-positive. Twenty-five antibody-positive participants had not reported previous laboratory-confirmed infection. Conclusion The majority of people in Ireland are unlikely to have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 by June–July 2020. Non-pharmaceutical public health measures remained key pending widespread availability of vaccination, and effective treatments.
- Published
- 2021