This percentage is equivalent to nearly 190 million people in the United States, a number much higher than the 80 million officially recorded cases, most of which are therefore undiagnosed, asymptomatic or not registered with the authorities.
About 75% of the population under the age of 18 contracted the virus, according to the study, with a colossal jump in cases – especially among children – during the wave of the Omicron variant last winter.
The nationwide survey looked for the presence of antibodies once morest the nucleocapsid protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which the immune system only creates in response to contamination.
Current vaccines train the immune system to create antibodies once morest the Spike protein.
Each month from September 2021 to January 2022, the study examined nearly 75,000 blood samples across the country, as well as 45,000 in February.
The researchers then produced national estimates using statistical methods to weight age, gender and geographic distribution.
“We did not look at whether people had a level of antibodies from a previous (Covid) infection that was sufficient to provide protection once morest re-infection or development of a severe form of the disease,” said Kristie Clarke, co-lead of the national Covid-19 serology task force, during a conference call with reporters.
“Previous infection has been found to provide some protection once morest severe disease and hospitalizations – and vaccination, either before or following infection, provides additional protection,” she added.
It remains essential to be up to date with your vaccination once morest Covid-19, underlined Kristie Clarke.
The United States currently offers a fourth dose of the vaccine to people aged 50 and over, and a third dose to people below that age.
Children aged five and under are the only ones still not eligible for vaccination.
Nationally, the number of cases is going up due to the Omicron BA.2 and BA.2.12.1 subvariants.
Despite an increasing number of hospitalizations, the number of deaths continues to fall and currently stands at almost 300 a day. The United States should officially reach the symbolic mark of one million deaths in the coming weeks.
