Serological survey kicks off in Delhi as national capital’s Covid cases surge

The serological survey is being conducted to assess the actual spread of the Covid infection.

Representational image | A health worker draws a blood sample as part of the serological survey in Delhi | Photo: Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

New Delhi: The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Saturday began carrying out a serological survey to ascertain the spread of Covid-19 in the national capital. Serological tests are used to check whether a person has antibodies, which are naturally occurring proteins produced by the body’s immune system to fight off infection.

While a serological test cannot determine whether someone currently has coronavirus, it helps to ascertain whether they were recently exposed to the virus.

On the first day of the serological survey in Delhi, teams of health workers knocked on random houses in different areas and collected blood samples of residents, irrespective of their gender and age.

ThePrint’s photojournalist Manisha Mondal visited the Ramnagar area of Paharganj in the national capital to bring you glimpses of how the survey is being carried out.

In Delhi’s Paharganj area, teams of workers have been randomly choosing households to conduct the serological survey | Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

Each team consists of four people ⁠— two to conduct the test and two support staff | Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

A joint effort by the health ministry and the Delhi government, the survey requires all workers to be in PPE kits and use sanitisers | Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

As a part of the survey, teams will collect blood samples which will be administered an antibody test. The presence of antibodies in the sample will indicate that a person has been infected by SARS-CoV-2 | Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

Health workers conducting the tests have to take utmost care and precaution since they will be visiting homes in all zones, including containment zones | Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

There are strict hygiene guidelines and rules in place for the health workers conducting the serological tests. They are required to sanitise their hands after every test | Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

According to the guidelines, every sample must be drawn using a fresh syringe and the used syringes are to be immediately disposed | Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia visited a testing site to inspect the proceedings. The survey will be conducted until 10 July in the national capital | Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

Data collected from the survey is being uploaded to a mobile app. However, regular paper forms are also being filled up as backup | Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

Boxes of testing kits stored at a dispensary in Sadar Bazar | Manisha Mondal | ThePrint