REACT-2: real-time assessment of community transmission – prevalence of coronavirus (COVID-19) antibodies in June 2020

From 20 June to 13 July 2020, prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the community in England was 6.0% (95% CI, 5.8- 6.1), adjusted to take into account the performance of the device and sample distribution, representing 5,544 positive results from 109,076 participants.

SPS commentary:

  • In London, 13% people had antibodies while in South West of England it was less than 3%.
  • There were high rates in those with ‘people-facing’ jobs in care homes (16%) and health care (12%), compared to 5% of people who were not key workers.
  • There were far higher rates in people from Black (17%), Asian (12%) and other (12%) than white (5%) ethnicity.
  • Almost everyone with a confirmed case of COVID was found to have antibodies (96%).
  • Those aged 18 to 34 were most likely to have antibodies (8%) with lowest prevalence in those over 65 (3%).
  • People living in most deprived areas had higher antibody levels than those in wealthiest areas (7% compared with 5%).
  • People living in households of more than 6 or 7 people (12%, 13%) were more likely to have had the virus compared to those living alone or with one other (5%)
  • 32% of people reported no symptoms, and this was more common in people over 65 (49%).

 

This surveillance study will be repeated in autumn and will test a further 200,000 people for antibodies.

Department of Health and Social Care

Resource links:

Press release