So many people in the US have been infected with COVID-19

New research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that a significant number of people in the United States have been infected with COVID-19. More specifically, about 60% of the US population and 75% of US children have had COVID-19.

That number, which equates to approximately 200 million people, is much higher than that reported by the CDC, which put the number at 80.8 million cases.

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Researchers analyzed thousands of blood samples submitted for clinical trials weekly and used data on antibodies to compile the numbers. Antibodies developed from natural infections differ from those that people develop as a result of vaccines, allowing researchers to tell if people were infected with the virus even if they had no symptoms or had a COVID-19 test.

These tests allowed the researchers to identify the different waves of the virus. As of December 2021, approximately 34% of the US population was infected. By February 2022, those numbers had increased to 58%, marking the wave of the Omicron variant.

However, these numbers may not be entirely accurate. Some caveats of the study include that reinfections were impossible to localize. Evidence was also gathered through blood testing, meaning people with access to these services are likely overrepresented and not painting a full picture of the COVID-19 situation in the US

This discrepancy between reported cases and the reality of the disease is because many people who contract COVID-19 do not develop symptoms, do not get tested at home, or simply are not tested at all. This new evidence paints a more accurate picture that can better inform experts and the public at this stage of the pandemic.

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Researchers continue to emphasize the importance of vaccines as the main defense against COVID-19. Vaccines are the most efficient way to protect children, older adults, and people with compromised immune systems because they offer more protection than that afforded by a natural infection.