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Abstract

Background

Up-to-date seroprevalence estimates are critical to describe the SARS-CoV-2 immune landscape and to guide public health decisions.

Aim

We estimate seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies 15 months into the COVID-19 pandemic and 6 months into the vaccination campaign.

Methods

We conducted a population-based cross-sectional serosurvey between 1 June and 7 July 2021, recruiting participants from age- and sex-stratified random samples of the general population. We tested participants for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies targeting the spike (S) or nucleocapsid (N) proteins using the Roche Elecsys immunoassays. We estimated the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies seroprevalence following vaccination and/or infection (anti-S antibodies), or infection only (anti-N antibodies).

Results

Among 3,355 individuals (54.1% women; 20.8% aged < 18 years and 13.4% aged ≥ 65 years), 2,161 (64.4%) had anti-S antibodies and 906 (27.0%) had anti-N antibodies. The total seroprevalence was 66.1% (95% credible interval (CrI): 64.1–68.0). We estimated that 29.9% (95% Crl: 28.0–31.9) of the population developed antibodies after infection; the rest having developed antibodies via vaccination. Seroprevalence estimates differed markedly across age groups, being lowest among children aged 0–5 years (20.8%; 95% Crl: 15.5–26.7) and highest among older adults aged ≥ 75 years (93.1%; 95% Crl: 89.6–96.0). Seroprevalence of antibodies developed via infection and/or vaccination was higher among participants with higher educational level.

Conclusion

Most of the population has developed anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, despite most teenagers and children remaining vulnerable to infection. As the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant spreads and vaccination rates stagnate, efforts are needed to address vaccine hesitancy, particularly among younger individuals and to minimise spread among children.

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2021-10-28
2024-04-18
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.43.2100830
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Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies 6 months into the vaccination campaign in Geneva, Switzerland, 1 June to 7 July 2021
<p class="citation"> <span>Citation style for this article:</span> <span class="meta-value authors"> <a href="/search?value1=Silvia+Stringhini&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Stringhini Silvia</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Mar%C3%ADa-Eugenia+Zaballa&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Zaballa María-Eugenia</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Nick+Pullen&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Pullen Nick</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Javier+Perez-Saez&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Perez-Saez Javier</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Carlos+de+Mestral&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">de Mestral Carlos</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Andrea+Jutta+Loizeau&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Loizeau Andrea Jutta</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Julien+Lamour&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Lamour Julien</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Francesco+Pennacchio&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Pennacchio Francesco</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Ania+Wisniak&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Wisniak Ania</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Roxane+Dumont&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Dumont Roxane</a>, <a href="/search?value1=H%C3%A9l%C3%A8ne+Baysson&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Baysson Hélène</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Viviane+Richard&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Richard Viviane</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Elsa+Lorthe&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Lorthe Elsa</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Claire+Semaani&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Semaani Claire</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Jean-Fran%C3%A7ois+Balavoine&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Balavoine Jean-François</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Didier+Pittet&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Pittet Didier</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Nicolas+Vuilleumier&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Vuilleumier Nicolas</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Fran%C3%A7ois+Chappuis&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Chappuis François</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Omar+Kherad&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Kherad Omar</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Andrew+S.+Azman&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Azman Andrew S.</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Klara+Posfay-Barbe&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Posfay-Barbe Klara</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Laurent+Kaiser&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Kaiser Laurent</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Idris+Guessous&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Guessous Idris</a>, <a href="/search?value1=on+behalf+of+the+Specchio-COVID19+study+group&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">on behalf of the Specchio-COVID19 study group</a></span>. Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies 6 months into the vaccination campaign in Geneva, Switzerland, 1 June to 7 July 2021. <a href="/content/ecdc">Euro Surveill.</a> 2021;26(43):pii=2100830. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.43.2100830" title="doi link" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.43.2100830</a> <span class="ES_Article_citation"> <span class="generated">Received</span>: 27 Aug 2021;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span class="generated">Accepted</span>: 08 Oct 2021 </span> </p>
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