The large majority of minors in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, New York, Montana, and other states still have COVID-19 antibodies showing a past infection or resolving infection, according to the latest pediatric antibody seroprevalence survey by the CDC.
The data suggest that the vast majority of children in the U.S. have had or been exposed to COVID-19 as they ready to return to school for the fall, offering a considerable measure of protection against illness.
The seroprevalence survey, most recently updated last Monday, evaluates the number of people with antibodies against the COVID-19 virus in their blood.
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In Alabama, over 86% of minors are assumed to have the antibodies. The other states with a seroprevalence of 80% or more are Arizona, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin. The study did not provide estimates for North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Around the country, 79% of under-18s have evidence of a previous infection.
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The study does not count antibodies produced from a vaccination, so it is not reflective of vaccination rates and doesn't estimate the number of people who have enough antibodies to protect them from a reinfection, the CDC noted.
About a third of children six months through 17 years have received two COVID-19 vaccine doses.
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Widespread population immunity in the U.S. after over two years of high community transmission appears to have spared the U.S. from more recent outbreaks, such as the one China experienced in April. Positive cases of COVID-19 have been decreasing across the U.S. overall this month.
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Starting in March 2022, assessments will cover 8-week information collection periods; historical monthly data for the U.S. pediatric population between September 2021 and February 2022 are provided for context. This survey assesses the percentage of children and adolescents with detectable antibodies showing past infection with SARS-CoV-2, though not the total amount of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in their blood. The estimates do not necessarily show how many people have enough antibodies to protect them against reinfection, severe outcomes, and/or COVID-19-related complications.
New antibody information for adults will be based on the national blood donor seroprevalence study. CDC currently plans to end the nationwide seroprevalence studies in December 2022.
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