International Journal of General Medicine (Sep 2022)
SARS-CoV-2 Seroepidemiological Investigation in Jordan: Seroprevalence, Herd Immunity, and Vaccination Coverage. A Population-Based National Study
Abstract
Sami Sheikh Ali,1 Khalid A Kheirallah,2 Ghazi Sharkas,1 Mohammed Al-Nusair,2 Abdel-Hameed Al-Mistarehi,2 Mahmoud Ghazo,1 Ali Zeitawi,1 Saverio Bellizzi,3 Mohannad Ramadan,3 Jomana W Alsulaiman,4 Hamed Alzoubi,5 Adel Belbesi,1 Mohammed Z Allouh6,7 1Epidemics Management, Jordan Ministry of Health, Amman, Jordan; 2Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 3Emergency Program, World Health Organization, Jordan Country Office, Amman, Jordan; 4Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan; 5Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Mutah University, Mutah, Jordan; 6Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 7Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab EmiratesCorrespondence: Khalid A Kheirallah, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, P. O. Box: 3030, Irbid, 22110, Jordan, Tel +962 7 9611 9094, Email [email protected] Mohammed Z Allouh, Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, P. O. Box: 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, Tel +971 3 713 7551, Email [email protected]: Population-based serosurveillance is a cornerstone to furthering our understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic at the community levels. In Jordan, four waves (phases) of seroprevalence epidemiological investigations were conducted using representative population-based national samples. This study aims to estimate the population-based seropositivity, herd immunity, and vaccination coverage at the fourth wave.Methods: Multistage sampling technique was implemented to recruit a nationally representative sample for the fourth wave of the seroprevalence investigation (June to August 2021). Electronically collected data utilized a questionnaire on background demographics, chronic diseases, and COVID-19 vaccination history. Also, blood samples were collected to detect the presence of total Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG using Wantai/ELISA assays. Prevalence estimates were presented using percentage and 95% Confidence Intervals (C.I.).Results: There were 8821 participants included in this study, with a mean age of 31.3 years, and 61.7% were females. COVID-19 national seroprevalence and vaccination coverage estimates were 74.1% (95% C.I.: 73.1– 74.9%) and 38.4% (95% C.I.: 37.1– 39.6%), respectively. Among children, seroprevalence estimates were similar to unvaccinated adults. Among COVID-19 adults, 57.2% were vaccinated. Among vaccinated participants, 91.5% were seropositive, while among unvaccinated, 63.2% were seropositive. By age group, seroprevalence ranged between 53.0% and 86.9%. Seroprevalence estimates were significantly different by gender, vaccination status and dose, and residence.Conclusion: The reported interplay between seropositivity and vaccination coverage estimate seems insufficient to provide herd immunity levels to combat new variants of SARS-CoV-2. Children and healthcare workers seem to be an epidemiologically influential group in spreading COVID-19. As the globe is still grappling with SARS-CoV-2 infection, national seroepidemiological evidence from Jordan calls for more focus on vaccination coverage, especially among epidemiologically vulnerable groups, to optimize herd immunity.Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, seropositivity, seroprevalence, herd immunity, vaccination, Middle East, Jordan
