Prevalence of antibodies to COVID among women of reproductive age in Zanzibar

What is it about?

"Assessing COVID-19 seroprevalence and vaccine uptake among women of reproductive-age in Zanzibar’s archipelago"In Pemba, 93% of women had COVID-19 antibodies, compared to 88% in Unguja. Most of them had mild or no symptoms, and vaccination coverage was very low—mainly due to lack of information or misinformation , not fear or refusal. Despite the high exposure, the number of severe cases and deaths in Zanzibar was low. This could be due to the younger population, existing immunity, or other unknown factors.

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Why is it important?

Policy Implications 1. Strengthen Vaccine Communication o Tailored messaging addressing myths and misinformation is critical. 2. Integrate Sero surveillance into Public Health Strategy o Serological surveys (like this one) should be integrated into routine surveillance to track silent spread of infections, especially in low-testing environments. 3. Support for Maternal and Child Health Services o Women of reproductive age are a key group for pandemic preparedness. Policies should prioritize vaccination access through maternal and child health clinics. 4. Prepare for Emerging Variants o Given the evolving nature of the virus, stored blood samples should be used for neutralising antibody studies to monitor protection against new variants. 5. Equitable Vaccine Distribution o Regional differences in vaccine availability (e.g., Sinovac in Pemba vs. Johnson & Johnson in Unguja) highlight the need for coordinated, equitable distribution policies across islands. o Public health strategies should be community-informed and island-specific, recognising different demographic and socio-economic dynamics

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