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. 2021 Jun 4:jiab296. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiab296

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in New York City adults, June–October, 2020: a population-based survey

Jannae C Parrott 1,#, Ariana N Maleki 1,#, Valerie E Vassor 1, Sukhminder Osahan 1, Yusyin Hsin 1, Michael Sanderson 1, Steven Fernandez 1, Amber Levanon Seligson 1, Scott Hughes 1, Jing Wu 1, Andrea K DeVito 1, Stephen P LaVoie 1, Jennifer L Rakeman 1, L Hannah Gould 1, Karen A Alroy 1,2,
PMCID: PMC8244597  PMID: 34086923

Abstract

Background

Serosurveys are important to ascertain burden of infection. Prior SARS-CoV-2 serosurveys in New York City (NYC) have used nonrandom samples. During June–October 2020, the NYC Health Department conducted a population-based survey to estimate SARS-CoV-2 antibody prevalence in NYC adults.

Methods

Participants were recruited from the NYC 2020 Community Health Survey. We estimated citywide and stratified antibody prevalence using a hybrid design: serum tested at the NYC Health Department using the DiaSorin LIAISON ® SARS-CoV-2 S1/S2 IgG assay and self-reported antibody test results were used together. Prevalence was estimated using univariate frequencies and 95% confidence intervals (CI), accounting for complex survey design. Two-sided P-values ≤0.05 were statistically significant.

Results

There were 1074 respondents overall; 497 provided blood and 577 provided only a self-reported antibody test result. Weighted prevalence was 24.3% overall (95% CI: 20.7–28.3). Latino (30.7%, 95% CI: 24.1–38.2, p<0.01) and Black (30.7%, 95% CI: 21.9–41.2, p=0.02) respondents had a higher weighted prevalence compared with White respondents (17.4%, 95% CI: 12.5–23.7).

Conclusions

By October 2020, nearly 1 in 3 Black and 1 in 3 Latino NYC adults had SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, highlighting unequal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Black and Latino adults in NYC.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, antibody prevalence, seroprevalence, population-based, New York City

Supplementary Material

jiab296_suppl_Supplementary_Materials

Associated Data

This section collects any data citations, data availability statements, or supplementary materials included in this article.

Supplementary Materials

jiab296_suppl_Supplementary_Materials

Articles from The Journal of Infectious Diseases are provided here courtesy of Oxford University Press

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