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The second wave is here. Federal Councilor Alain Berset made that clear Sunday. The Federal Council has issued a recommendation for the home office and requires more stringent requirements for masks. Other countries have established stricter regulations. But what is the best strategy? Scientists around the world have been trying to figure out the best way to survive the epidemic for months.
An idea that is gaining popularity today: the infection strategy. If everyone is infected, the virus can no longer spread and dies, according to the theory. This is propagated, among other things, in the “Great Barrington Declaration”, which was published a few days ago and which already has hundreds of thousands of followers around the world.
Tip: isolate only at-risk patients
The text, written by three researchers from the United States and Great Britain, states, among other things: “The most empathetic approach, which weighs the risks and benefits of achieving herd immunity, is to give those who have a minimal risk of death Allow a normal life so they can develop immunity to the virus through natural infection, while better protecting those most at risk. “
Bottom line: those who are at low risk of death should continue life as usual. At-risk patients, on the other hand, should be isolated and only leave their home in an emergency.
Infection = escalating deaths
Now there is resistance to the “Great Barrington Declaration”. The Society for Virology, in which several Swiss researchers are represented and, for example, the well-known Berlin virologist Christian Drosten, strongly opposes demands to lift the crown’s restrictions in favor of those who are less at risk. “We are concerned that voices that focus on the natural contamination of a large part of the population with the objective of herd immunity as a strategy to fight pandemics are growing again,” said a press release.
Isabella Eckerle heads the Department of Infectious Diseases at the Geneva University Clinics and is one of the signatories to the statement. She tweeted:
An uncontrolled infection would lead to a growing increase in deaths, according to the researchers’ statement. Because even if older people are strictly isolated, there are still risk groups that are too numerous, too heterogeneous, and in some cases undetected to be actively protected. According to scientists, this includes overweight people, diabetics, cancer patients, pregnant women, and others.
Also, according to Drosten’s group, it is not yet clear how long an acquired immunity will last after infection. Striving to achieve herd immunity without vaccination is unethical and presents a high medical, social and therefore financial risk. (vof)
