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Drosten and colleagues caution against the concept of herd immunity
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Virologist Christian Drosten and his colleagues warn of herd immunity
Source: dpa / Michael Kappeler
A letter from the Society for Virology (GfV) states that uncontrolled infection would lead to a growing increase in the number of deaths. Also, it is not yet known how long an immunity acquired by an infection will last.
reBerlin virologist Christian Drosten and other colleagues strongly oppose calls to lift the crown’s restrictions while focusing on protecting particularly vulnerable people.
“It is with concern that we notice that the voices are growing again that are focusing on the natural contamination of a large part of the population with the objective of herd immunity as a strategy to combat pandemics,” says a statement from the Virology Society ( GfV) based in Heidelberg. Drosten was also involved in.
Herd immunity means that a large part of the population has become immune after infection or vaccination, and as a result, the virus can no longer spread as well.
An uncontrolled infection would lead to a rising increase in deaths, virologists write. Even with strict isolation from older people, there are still other risk groups that are too numerous, too heterogeneous and, in some cases, also undetected to be actively protected.
“An increased risk of a severe course of Covid-19 arises, for example, with obesity, diabetes, cancer, kidney failure, chronic lung disease, liver disease, stroke, after transplants and during pregnancy.”
According to the GfV, it is not yet clear how long an immunity acquired through infection will last. Striving to achieve herd immunity without vaccination is unethical and presents a high medical, social and therefore financial risk.
In their text, virologists refer to the so-called Great Declaration of Barrington, written by three researchers from the United States and Great Britain. According to its website, hundreds of thousands of people have already signed the declaration.
The text states, among other things: “The most empathic approach, which weighs the risks and benefits of achieving herd immunity, is to allow those with minimal risk of death to live a normal life so that they can obtain immunity through infection. natural can stack up against the virus, while those most at risk are better protected. “
