Delhi, the second worst affected in the country due to coronavirus, will begin its ambitious Serological survey today. The serological test is a part of the new COVID-19 response plan prepared by the Centre for Delhi. A total of 20,000 tests will be conducted both within and outside the containment zones. The survey will cover each of the 11 districts of Delhi.

This survey will give the authorities an accurate picture of what proportion of the population has exposed to the coronavirus. This antibody test used for surveillance among the community can reveal insights on immunity against the virus.

A team consisting of doctors, a technician and a local level health worker will carry out the survey. The surveillance are done by random sampling across all age groups including minors and will be done on both – those with symptoms and those without. The result is expected to come on 10th of July.

A sero survey already carried out by the ICMR earlier in May showed less than one percent of the population were infected across 83 districts in 21 states. But it also indicated that urban areas are at more risk.

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The world’s biggest lockdown forced 122 million people out of jobs in India in April 2020, according to estimates by Center for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE).

Employment plunged in April after the government imposed a 40-day lockdown in a nation of 1.3 billion people, forcing businesses to shut and pushing up the jobless rate to 27.1% in the week ended May 3, surveys by CMIE showed.

Daily wage workers and those employed by small businesses have taken a massive blow, according to CMIE. These include hawkers, roadside vendors, workers employed in the construction industry and many who eke out a living by pushing handcarts to rickshaws.

The estimates of India’s job losses are more than four times the 30 million Americans who’ve filed for unemployment benefits over six weeks. The data could get worse in India with the lockdown extended in many areas, the CMIE warned.

The government began easing restrictions in some areas in the mid week of May, resulting in violence and chaos as liquor stores reopened and transport resumed for migrant workers stranded during the lockdown.

The economic crisis will be one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s biggest tests.

The CMIE figures show more people are also looking for jobs amid the downturn. The labor participation rate rose to 36.2% in the week ended May 3 from 35.4% previously.

The last official unemployment figures from the government, released in May 2019, estimated the unemployment rate at 6.1% in the year to June 2018.

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