Only 14% of the Bernese population have antibodies against coronavirus

Bern in Winter

04.02.2021 - In the canton of Bern, only 14% of the population were infected with the coronavirus and developed antibodies against SARS-Cov-2. These are the preliminary results of a seroprevalence study coordinated by the Swiss School of Public Health and carried out in Bern by the University of Bern in cooperation with the Inselspital, University Hospital Bern.

In the canton of Bern, between December 2020 and the end of February 2021, a total of 400 participants will be tested for antibodies against the coronavirus in a random sample. 263people have already been examined. A representative estimate for the total population can be derived from this. 

The first results show that only 14% of the people of Bern were infected with the coronavirus and developed antibodies. 

The study was carried out by the Institute for Family Medicine (BIHAM) in collaboration with the Institute for Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), the Institute for Infectious Diseases (IFIK) at the University of Bern and the Inselspital. 

It is part of the “Corona Immunitas” research program (www.corona-immunitas.ch/) of the Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH +). This research program aims to understand the spread of Covid-19 at the national level.

For this purpose, the Sars-CoV2 immunity in the Swiss population is determined using antibody tests, this means that the antibody level in the blood is measured in a random sample of the population. In this way, the percentage of people who have come into contact with the virus and the percentage of infected people without symptoms can be estimated.

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