Italy nears ‘herd immunity’: More than HALF of residents’ in province worst-hit by coronavirus have antibodies amid ongoing debate over what protection they provide

• More than half residents in Italy’s province, Bergamo have COVID-19 antibodies
• 57% had antibodies indicating they had come into contact with the coronavirus
• Health authorities in Bergamo said the results were based on a ‘random’ sample 
• Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19

More than half the residents tested in Italy’s northern province of Bergamo have COVID-19 antibodies, amid an ongoing debate into what protection they provide from the virus.

The city was hit hard by the pandemic that was first detected in February and prompted a strict lockdown that has devastated the economy.

Just last week the country moved into the final stages in easing its lockdown restrictions after almost 34,000 coronavirus deaths, with some 235,000 confirmed cases. 

Blood tests of 9,965 residents between April 23 and June 3, showed that 57 per cent had antibodies indicating they had come into contact with the coronavirus, the survey showed.

FMedical staff member are seen next to patients suffering from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the intensive care unit at the Papa Giovanni XXIII hospital in Bergamo, in May this year

Health authorities in Bergamo said the results were based on a ‘random’ sample which was ‘sufficiently broad’ to be a reliable indicator of how many people had been infected in the province, which became the epicentre of Italy’s outbreak.

In a separate statement issued later, the Bergamo health agency said that most of those in the sample were residents of the worst-hit areas. Many had already been put under quarantine, the statement added.

The study also suggests the area may be approaching ‘herd immunity’, that experts believe could be at around 60-65 per cent.

Herd immunity is when enough people become resistant to a disease – through vaccination or previous exposure – that it can no longer significantly spread among the rest of the population. 

However, scientific experts cannot say for certain if having antibodies means that you are immune from getting the disease again.  

Antibodies were found in just over 30% of the 10,404 health operators tested although they are generally considered more at risk than other people.

Graves of people who recently died due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are seen at the cemetery of Nembro, near Bergamo, on May 13

In a report released in early May, national statistics institute ISTAT said the number of deaths in Bergamo was up 568% in March compared with the 2015-2019 average, making it Italy’s worst-hit city in terms of deaths.

Its hospitals were overwhelmed by infected people and, with morgues unable to keep up, convoys of army trucks carrying away the dead became a chilling symbol of the global pandemic.

Bergamo province has reported 13,609 coronavirus cases, official data showed on Monday.

ISTAT and the health ministry have launched a nationwide blood testing campaign, aiming to test a representative sample of some 150,000 people to understand the extent of Italy’s COVID-19 epidemic.

Italy has reported almost 34,000 coronavirus deaths, with some 235,000 confirmed cases. 

The Lombardy region, which includes Bergamo, has registered over 16,000 deaths.  

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