Coronavirus: some India slums ‘may have reached herd immunity’, study finds
- About six in 10 people living in some of Mumbai’s biggest slums have antibodies for the novel coronavirus, a study shows
- While a ‘hands-off’ approach has been criticised in places like Sweden, it appears some Indian slums may have unwittingly pursued the controversial strategy
The findings, from a July serological survey of 6,936 people across three suburbs in Mumbai, may explain why a steep drop in infections is being seen among the closely-packed population, despite new cases accelerating overall in the hard-hit country.
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The findings of the study, which was conducted by municipal authorities and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, suggest that despite efforts to contain its spread, Mumbai’s poorest places may have unwittingly pursued the controversial strategy of herd immunity. This describes an approach in which infection is allowed to run through a population to faster neutralise the pathogen’s threat.
About 57 per cent of surveyed people in the slums of Dahisar, Chembur and Matunga had antibodies in their blood, compared to 21.2 per cent found in an April study in New York City, and 14 per cent reported in Stockholm in May.