Around 1 in 8 people in England had COVID-19 antibodies last month: ONS

A general view of an empty high street in Hemel Hempstead

LONDON (Reuters) - An estimated 1 in 8 people in England had antibodies against the coronavirus during December, suggesting they have had COVID-19 previously, an official estimate based on samples of the population showed on Tuesday.

The Office for National Statistics said an estimated 12.1% of people aged 16 years and over in England had antibodies last month.

The figure was 8.9% in Scotland, 9.8% in Wales and 7.8% in Northern Ireland, the ONS said.

(Reporting by Andy Bruce; Editing by Alistair Smout)