After more than two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, a third of Canada’s population may have been infected, according to research and experts.
Blood seroprevalence analyzes across the country show that the rapid spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant has doubled the natural rate of infection.
By the end of February, seropositivity from the infection averaged 23.7% nationally, a double jump from January, according to the latest report released earlier this month by the Canadian Blood Service and the Canadian Working Group on Immunity to COVID. 19.
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The increase in infections is observed in all provinces, with Alberta, Manitoba and British Columbia having the highest levels of seroprevalence in February. The report does not include Quebec.
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Young Canadians in the 17-24 age group had the highest natural infection rates of 36.3% compared to other age groups.
“I think it is very likely that in two years’ time, one third of the population will be infected with COVID,” said Dr Catherine Hankins, co-chair of the Working Group on COVID-19 Immunity.
The Omicron wave, which hit Canada in November 2021, evaded immunity, with re-infections and breakouts, Hankins said.
“Omicron had the ability to avoid antibodies that we had developed from a previous infection or vaccination,” she said.
According to Hankins, the worst affected provinces are in the east, including Ontario and Quebec.
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In the West, the British Columbia Disease Control Center, in partnership with LifeLabs, has been monitoring SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in blood samples since the beginning of the pandemic.
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Their analysis also reveals the drastic impact of Omicron on the population.
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By March 2022, their latest serological study, which has not yet been published, shows that more than 40% of the population has antibodies caused by infection, said Dr. Danuta Skovronski, a leading researcher and epidemiologist at BCCDC. In contrast, by the fall of 2021, only 10% of the province had been infected, she said.
The biggest change is in children, with about two-thirds under the age of 10 infected with the virus, Skowronski said. Meanwhile, about half of the young adult population of BC is infected.
“We have passed from a population with almost complete susceptibility to the virus, while now more than 90 percent of us have had some form of training, either through vaccination or infection,” she said.
“We are no longer a completely naive population.”
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Preparation does not mean that the body is immune to the virus, but at least it is aware of it, so our immune system is alert and prepared to fight the virus, which should reduce the risk of severe results, Skowronski explained.
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Having a COVID-19 infection does not prevent you from becoming infected again, experts say.
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However, both vaccination and infection can help build what is called “hybrid immunity” or “immunity wall,” Hankins said.
“If you’ve already had the infection, it’s really worth getting vaccinated,” she said.
But given the changing nature of COVID-19 with the advent of new variants, there is always a risk of weakened immunity and infection, Hankins said.
“We now have a good level of immunity, and if we are wise and follow precautions, we can go out there and spend a full summer.”
As of Tuesday, more than 3.7 million COVID-19 infections have been confirmed in Canada since the pandemic began.
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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