Quarter Of NYC Area Residents Have Had Coronavirus – CDC

Almost a quarter of New York City, Long Island and Westchester residents who had blood surveyed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were found to have had the coronavirus.

That equates to a little more than 2.8 million people. Official city figures had estimated just over 219,000 cases as of July 23.

The CDC partnered with commercial testing labs to estimate infection levels for five states and a handful of large cities. It tested the blood of people who had come to doctors for routine screenings or sick visits, not just those whose care was related to the coronavirus.

Around 23 percent of residents in the New York City area who had blood drawn in late May had antibodies for the virus, according to the CDC. The collection area included Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties alongside the NYC boroughs.

The survey was the second of its kind from the CDC. The first, which ended May 3, found a city infection rate of 6.9 percent.

The second survey was conducted between May 21 and 26. A total of 1,116 samples were collected.

The figure was much higher than anywhere else in the nation. Of areas that had a second survey, Washington State had a 2.1 percent infection rate, Utah had 1.1 percent, Minnesota 2.2 percent, Missouri 2.8 percent, Philadelphia 3.6 percent and Connecticut 5.2 percent.

The CDC notes the survey comes with some caveats. It isn’t random and relies on people whose blood was taken for routine screening or sick visits, which may not reflect the population as a whole.

The results reported by the CDC are adjusted for false positive and false negative results. The CDC notes that it is possible that antibody levels may decrease over time and that people who previously tested positive for the presence of antibodies may at some point test negative.

The CDC also warns that the survey shouldn’t be interpreted to mean people who tested positive for antibodies are immune to the virus. It is still unknown how long antibodies last and what level of protection they offer.

https://patch.com/new-york/new-york-city/quarter-nyc-area-residents-have-had-coronavirus-cdc-finds