WHO refuses the herd immunity scenario as a rampart against Covid-19. This Monday October 12, the World Health Organization has shared their recommendations in the fight against coronavirus. To scientists advocating herd immunity as an effective strategy, WHO answers that “it is scientifically and ethically problematic”. According to them, “allowing a dangerous virus that we don’t fully understand to run free is simply unethical”, before stating “it’s not an option”.
Media briefing on #COVID19 with @DrTedros https://t.co/Y9iksROouM
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) October 12, 2020
And for good reason, using herd immunity as a barrier against Covid-19 has never been seen before. WHO insists on the fact that “never in the history of public health has herd immunity been used as a strategy for responding to an outbreak, let alone a pandemic”. In addition to the historical approach, this is also the fatal rate that has the international institution worried. According to WHO, Covid-19 fatal rate rises to 0.6%. A number that seems ridiculous and “that may not sound like a lot”, but that is “a lot higher than (for) influenza”, the organization director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, says.
As for herd immunity, at the center of debates in press briefs, it is mostly the uncertainty of the concept that scares scientists related to WHO so far. Even though the director general acknowledged “there has been some discussion recently about the concept of reaching so-called ‘herd immunity’ by letting the virus spread”, he warns that “herd immunity is achieved by protecting people from a virus, not by exposing them to it”. Vaccine trials are expected to start from as early as December on human candidates. And expected to be delivered in early 2021 ideally.
