Natural herd immunity should not be used as a means of pandemic control
December 17, 2020
The ongoing pandemic means countries have begun strategic discussions on how to achieve the “new normal.” This has led to renewed interest in a herd immunity approach to manage the pandemic. The concept is that after being widely infected, a population will develop herd immunity to the virus, eliminating or significantly reducing community transmission and protecting the most vulnerable, who must be shielded in the meantime.
We would strongly advise that governments and public health advisers hold firm for the winter, promoting effective physical distancing and other non-pharmaceutical intervention strategies to compress virus transmission and limit infection rates. Vaccinations are already being rolled out quickly, and assuming high-uptake of the vaccine and an effective vaccination campaign, herd immunity should become a reality.