A significant percentage of Israeli school children were likely infected with the coronavirus without ever being aware of it, according to data from a new mass antibody study conducted Monday.

Thousands of school children from the haredi sector were tested for coronavirus antibodies Monday, to screen for recovered COVID patients ahead of the beginning of the new school year, which kicked off Tuesday morning in the haredi sector.

According to a report by Channel 12 Tuesday morning, a sample of roughly one-thousand children ages three to twelve who were tested Monday revealed that 21% had antibody levels high enough to indicate that they had been infected with the virus – despite never being diagnosed with COVID.

The serological testing is being conducted as part of the deal worked out between Israel’s Health and Education ministries for the reopening of the school system.

The tests are aimed at finding students who have already been infected with the virus, and who can therefore be included in the ‘green pass’ system, which limits entry to certain venues based on vaccination or recovery status.

Positive proof of past infection also grants the students exemption from quarantine in the case of an outbreak in their class.

The mass testing was launched as a pilot program in the haredi sector Monday, due to the early opening of the school year for haredi schools. By the opening of the school year in the rest of the education system in September, some 1.6 million school children ages 3-12 are slated to undergo serological testing.

Source: Arutz Sheva