RAZINA MUNSHI: Why pursuing ‘herd immunity’ is a reckless strategy
It’s not only about deaths – supporters of herd immunity also fail to address the experience of a growing number of ‘long Covid’ patients
Applying a theory of herd immunity to Covid-19 has been likened to “pseudoscience pixie dust” (https://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/521605-infectious-disease-expert-calls-white-house-advisers-herd-immunity) and a “Darwinian survival of the fittest approach” (https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20201015/scientists-slam-white-house-for-herd-immunity-claim) based on back-of-the-envelope calculations.
Expecting it to work to bring an end to the pandemic is “wishful thinking” (https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-barrington-declaration-an-open-letter-arguing-against-lockdown-policies-and-for-focused-protection/); worse, it is “misguided and deadly” (https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/10/19/herd-immunity-covid-19-vaccine-essential-column/3699956001/) and could lead to many, many more preventable deaths. Some have gone as far as to describe it as “mass murder” (https://edition.cnn.com/webview/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-10-14-20-intl/h_571c71a...
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