Conducting nationwide cohort COVID-19 serology surveys on a nation with limited resources and decentralized governance: Evidence from Indonesia.

Knowing the level of SARS-CoV-2 transmission is crucial for decision-making on Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) handling. Guidelines for measuring SARS-CoV-2 antibodies to estimate seroprevalence are conceptually straightforward and internationally available. However, challenges exist for developing countries with limited laboratory capacity, diverse geographical topography, fragmented health information systems and limited resources such as Indonesia. One year after the first case was confirmed in Indonesia, approximately ten infections were undiagnosed or underreported for every reported case. Under those circumstances, we described the method and lessons learned in conducting nationwide cohort COVID-19 serology surveys in a nation with limited resources, such as Indonesia. •Strong cross-sectoral collaboration between ministries and levels of governance (central and subnational) enables strategic use of civil registration database for efficient sampling.•All agglomeration districts (highly dense population and urban area) were selected as study sites, and additional non-agglomeration districts were selected using probability-proportional-to-size (PPS).•Involving the experienced phlebotomist in community health service provider and district laboratory cut down preparation time.
Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: One of the authors is affiliated with the funding organization. While the development of the manuscript did not entail direct involvement from the funders during its preparation, the publication of the manuscript is subject to approval by the funding organization.
(© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.)