COVID-19 Donated blood hints at higher COVID-19 infection rates Published 5 years ago on June 12, 2020 By Matt Collins Editor Share Tweet TOPEKA, Kan. — The top public health official in Kansas told legislators Tuesday recent testing revealed 22% of blood donations in the state contained the antibody to COVID-19, suggesting the level of coronavirus exposure during the pandemic could be higher than previously reported. Dr. Lee Norman, secretary at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said the antibody would be present among people who naturally contracted the coronavirus as well as individuals who had been vaccinated. So far, KDHE says 132,000 Kansans have been vaccinated. Reports show 269,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state since March. Taken together, approximately 400,000, or more than 13% of the state’s population, could be expected to have a detectable level of the coronavirus antibody in their bloodstream. The 22% figure related to blood donations would suggest about 640,000 Kansans either naturally contracted COVID-19 or were vaccinated in an attempt to build immunity. This elevated figure, Norman said, might be a positive sign in terms of reaching the 85% benchmark for herd immunity. Related Topics: Up Next How local phase 2 coronavirus vaccine candidates aged 65+ can sign up without a computer Don't Miss Topeka independent living center begins vaccinating seniors Advertisement Trending
