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The number of COVID-19 infections nationwide is 6 to 24 times higher than the 3.9 million confirmed cases, according to new data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The results of the new study, published this week (July 21) in JAMA Internal Medicine by CDC researchers and state health officials, represent the largest antibody survey of its kind. Even accounting for these hidden cases detected in 10 cities across the US, the findings suggest that many of the cities are nowhere near the antibody prevalence required for herd immunity. Additionally, scientists are unsure just how long people retain their antibodies after being infected, and what that means for immunity to the disease.
“These data continue to show that the number of people who have been infected with the virus that causes Covid-19 far exceeds the number of reported cases,” Fiona Havers, a CDC ...
