The latest results from @theSANBS, @The_WCBS, and #SACEMA on anti-SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among blood donors in South Africa are now available.

researchsquare.com/article/rs-168…

#notyetpeerreviewed

[1/8] Congrats to @laurettemhlanga, @alex_welte, @Marionvermeulen, and the rest of the team!

TL;DR: as of mid-March 2022, prior to the BA.4/BA.5-driven resurgence, an estimated 98% of South Africans had antibodies from prior infection, vaccination, or both.

#notyetpeerreviewed

[2/8]

[Thread] I am pleased to share that this work is now published @ScienceMagazine

science.org/doi/10.1126/sc…

#SACEMA @nicd_sa @hivepi @scienceSUN @NRF_News @carivs @jd_mathbio @GoNevashan @Dr_Groome @saCOVID19mc

https://twitter.com/SACEMAdirector/status/1466459301598351371

We show that reinfection risk (blue) increased with the emergence of the #Omicron variant and has stabilized at a higher level than was seen with prior variants.

[Thread] We have updated our preprint on SARS-CoV-2 reinfection trends in South Africa to include data through late November. @hivepi @jd_mathbio @carivs @Dr_Groome @nicd_sa #SACEMA

doi.org/10.1101/2021.1…

#notyetpeerreviewed

https://twitter.com/SACEMAdirector/status/1460176349335896075

We find evidence of increased reinfection risk associated with emergence of the #Omicron variant, suggesting evasion of immunity from prior infection. @scienceSUN @NRF_News

@theSANBS, @The_WCBS, and #SACEMA have released new information on SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among blood donors in South Africa, including in the 5 provinces for which data were not previously available. #NotYetPeerReviewed

A full preprint will be released soon. The new data are based on samples collected in May 2021, using the same methods as described in the earlier preprint from Sykes et al:

researchsquare.com/article/rs-233…

The study was led by @Marionvermeulen with data analysis by @laurettemhlanga, Dr Eduard Grebe, and Prof Alex Welte.