ABSTRACT
Introduction The new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a major global concern. Due to the number of asymptomatic cases that go untested, the actual proportion of those who have been infected is likely to be higher than the reported prevalence. Thus, investigating the exact proportion of those who developed antibodies against the virus through serological surveys is crucial to identify the immune status of the population and direct public health decisions accordingly. Objectives The aim of this study is to estimate the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in the community and to describe the epidemiological characteristics of the discovered cases. Methods Between July and October 2020, a cross-sectional sero-survey was conducted including a total of 15,873 serum samples collected from seven regions within the kingdom. Using a multistage convenient sampling, people were invited to participate in an interviewer-administrated questionnaire. Afterward, blood samples were collected and seroprevalence was determined using the SARS-CoV-2 virus IgG/IgM antibody detection kits (ELISA). A p-value of <0.05 and 95% CI were used to report the significance. Results The overall seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in the sample was 17.0%, and Makkah region constituted the highest number of reactive cases (33.3%). There was a significant association between all comorbidities and having symptoms except for diabetes. In addition, age, education, nationality, and region were all significant predeterminants of sero-result. Also, contact with a confirmed or suspected case increased the risk of being seropositive by nearly 1.5 times. Conclusion This study estimated the national seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in Saudi Arabia to be 17%. At the time of this study, most of the population did not have the SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies. This suggests that the population is still below the threshold of herd immunity and emphasizes the importance of mass vaccination programs and abiding by recommended prevention precautions.
ABSTRACT
COVID-19 has become a major global public health threat. It started from Wuhan a province of China in December 2019 and has spread in every country of the globe with over 100 million people currently infected and over three million deaths as of May 2021. Nearly a year on, with many town and cities are in lockdown and with all public health measures to minimize transmission of the virus SARS-COV-2 and the scientific achievements with many vaccines developed in record time, the transmission in the second wave is still strong with new variants of the virus emerging. The pandemic has caused a serious impact on the economic, social, political, and cultural dynamics of people, globally. The majority of people with mild and moderate symptoms of COVID-19 seek primary care (PC) service as the entry point for getting medical intervention, reducing flow to hospital care. Currently, primary care settings are facing major challenges including lack of funds, poor infrastructure in some countries, and shortage of health care workers and equipment. Most, if not all primary care centers are not designed to separate people with the virus. The pandemic so far shows that strengthening primary care as the first point of contact with the health system is vital. The health systems of the future cannot be resilient without strong primary care for all, capable of meeting population health needs and aspiration for good health and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Middle East Journal of Family Medicine is the property of Medi+WORLD International Pty. Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)