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By May 2022, 69% of individuals residing within the Kilifi Health and Demographic System (HDSS) and 91% residing within the Nairobi Urban HDSS had evidence of an immune response to COVID-19 resulting from natural infection and/or vaccination, i.e., anti-spike IgG antibodies.

Key messages:

  • The majority of HDSS residents with anti-spike IgG antibodies appear to have developed them as a result of natural infection, as only 11% - 27% of study participants reported receiving one or more doses of COVID-19 vaccine by May 2022.
  • The proportion of HDSS residents with anti-spike IgG antibod- ies was significantly higher in Nairobi, an urban setting, than in rural Kilifi.
  • Seroprevalence by May 2022 represents a substantial increase from May 2021 when about 20% of the residents within the Kilifi HDSS and 40% within the Nairobi Urban HDSS had an- ti-spike IgG antibodies.
  • Surveillance for COVID-19 antibodies among residents of HDSS sites provides an opportunity to understand the extent COVID-19 spread and immunity within the general population in Kenya.

The Issue Brief is available on the KWTRP website