"statement ID;""time"";""document ID"";""document title"";""author"";""source"";""section"";""type"";""text"";""person"";""organization"";""concept"";""agreement"";""Organization_Type""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Formula
"690;2020-03-15 12:00:00;148;"" going to be daunting��: U.K. considers herd-immunity approach �� allowing more people to contract coronavirus Can you allow COVID-19 to slowly infect lower-risk people so they create enough immunity to e..."";""Quentin Fottrell"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""Patrick Vallance the U.K.s chief scientific adviser said herd immunity is an option the government is exploring in its effort to grapple with the coronavirus-borne illness COVID-19. The aim would be to allow immunity to build up among members of the population who are least at risk of dying from COVID-19.What we dont want is everybody to end up getting it in a short period of time so we swamp and overwhelm [National Health Service] services� he told BBC Radio 4on Friday. Our aim is to try and reduce the peak broaden the peak not suppress it completely.�"";""Sir Patrick Vallance"";""Government of the United Kingdom"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"691;2020-03-15 12:00:00;148;"" going to be daunting��: U.K. considers herd-immunity approach �� allowing more people to contract coronavirus Can you allow COVID-19 to slowly infect lower-risk people so they create enough immunity to e..."";""Quentin Fottrell"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""Patrick Vallance the U.K.s chief scientific adviser said herd immunity is an option the government is exploring in its effort to grapple with the coronavirus-borne illness COVID-19. The aim would be to allow immunity to build up among members of the population who are least at risk of dying from COVID-19.What we dont want is everybody to end up getting it in a short period of time so we swamp and overwhelm [National Health Service] services� he told BBC Radio 4on Friday. Our aim is to try and reduce the peak broaden the peak not suppress it completely.�"";""Sir Patrick Vallance"";""Government of the United Kingdom"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"532;2020-04-03 12:00:00;147;""Herd immunity party is not good idea say experts It might seem logical to try to get young people sick. It��s also very wrong."";""Jonathan Lai"";""The Philadelphia Inquirer"";"""";"""";""Absolutely not� said Jen Caudle a family physician and professor at Rowan Universitys School of Osteopathic Medicine."";""Jen Caudle"";""Rowan University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"533;2020-04-03 12:00:00;147;""Herd immunity party is not good idea say experts It might seem logical to try to get young people sick. It��s also very wrong."";""Jonathan Lai"";""The Philadelphia Inquirer"";"""";"""";""Its not that simple.� Definitely not� said Jayatri Das chief bioscientist at the Franklin Institute."";""Jayatri Das"";""Franklin Institute"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"534;2020-04-03 12:00:00;147;""Herd immunity party is not good idea say experts It might seem logical to try to get young people sick. It��s also very wrong."";""Jonathan Lai"";""The Philadelphia Inquirer"";"""";"""";""This is a dangerous idea� said Megan Culler Freeman a pediatric infectious disease fellow at UPMC Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh. This suggestion is a reckless approach to this disease.�"";""Megan Culler Freeman"";""Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"535;2020-04-03 12:00:00;147;""Herd immunity party is not good idea say experts It might seem logical to try to get young people sick. It��s also very wrong."";""Jonathan Lai"";""The Philadelphia Inquirer"";"""";"""";""Young people can develop serious symptoms as badly as older people in terms of requiring hospitalization� said Das who received her Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology from Princeton University. Not as many of them die but in terms of hospital admissions and ICU care we cannot assume that young people willbe fine.�"";""Jayatri Das"";""Franklin Institute"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"536;2020-04-03 12:00:00;147;""Herd immunity party is not good idea say experts It might seem logical to try to get young people sick. It��s also very wrong."";""Jonathan Lai"";""The Philadelphia Inquirer"";"""";"""";""Young people can develop serious symptoms as badly as older people in terms of requiring hospitalization� said Das who received her Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology from Princeton University. Not as many of them die but in terms of hospital admissions and ICU care we cannot assume that young people willbe fine.�"";""Jayatri Das"";""Franklin Institute"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"537;2020-04-03 12:00:00;147;""Herd immunity party is not good idea say experts It might seem logical to try to get young people sick. It��s also very wrong."";""Jonathan Lai"";""The Philadelphia Inquirer"";"""";"""";""And right now Freeman said we are not able to predict which young people will have minimal symptoms and which will be gravely ill.�"";""Megan Culler Freeman"";""Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"538;2020-04-03 12:00:00;147;""Herd immunity party is not good idea say experts It might seem logical to try to get young people sick. It��s also very wrong."";""Jonathan Lai"";""The Philadelphia Inquirer"";"""";"""";""And right now Freeman said we are not able to predict which young people will have minimal symptoms and which will be gravely ill.�"";""Megan Culler Freeman"";""Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"539;2020-04-03 12:00:00;147;""Herd immunity party is not good idea say experts It might seem logical to try to get young people sick. It��s also very wrong."";""Jonathan Lai"";""The Philadelphia Inquirer"";"""";"""";""Just as a matter of logistics it seems like a very difficult process to manage� said John Zurlo division director of infectious diseases at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Whos going to manage something like that?�"";""John Zurlo"";""Thomas Jefferson University Hospital"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"540;2020-04-03 12:00:00;147;""Herd immunity party is not good idea say experts It might seem logical to try to get young people sick. It��s also very wrong."";""Jonathan Lai"";""The Philadelphia Inquirer"";"""";"""";""Just as a matter of logistics it seems like a very difficult process to manage� said John Zurlo division director of infectious diseases at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Whos going to manage something like that?�"";""John Zurlo"";""Thomas Jefferson University Hospital"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"688;2020-04-10 12:00:00;146;""It''s possible to flatten the curve for too long"";""Jeff Howe"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""These are daunting numbers. Unfortunately they are not nearly daunting enough. Because while there is still a lot we don't know about COVID-19 including exactly how many people are or have been infected epidemiologists believe that this virus won't begin to disappear until a far higher percentage of the population � roughly 67 percent � develops immunity. If that doesn't happen with a vaccine it has to happen through exposure.For weeks the most pressing policy challenge has been relieving the life-and-death pressure on our hospitals. But all that justifiable emphasis on flattening the curve may have created a dangerous illusion that we can contain this disease and get away with relatively small infection rates.It's easy to forget that a pandemic is a story with only one ending: We must collectively develop an immunity to the disease. In lieu of a vaccine that means most of us will need to be exposed to the virus and some unknowably large number of us will die in the process.This is the simple scary math that Harvard epidemiologists Marc Lipsitch and his colleague Yonatan Grad have tried to convey in a series of recently published papers: If each person infected with COVID-19 disease in turn infects three more as we now think then in order to bring the disease to heel Grad says two of those people must already be immune. If one person can only spread the disease to one other person the virus is no longer an epidemic' he says. Two-thirds of the population of Massachusetts by the way is 4.5 million people.When asked why state officials would suggest that the outbreak might infect far fewer people in Massachusetts Lipsitch said: It doesn't make any sense to me to project that.' Indeed when asked about the figures Brooke Karanovich a spokeswoman for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services said they came from a model the state produced to inform an analysis about building hospital surge capacity not predict every detail about this fast-developing outbreak.'Herd immunity got a bad rap last month when Boris Johnson's government floated the strategy of allowing COVID-19 to rip through the British population quickly letting the chips fall where they may. The idea was rightly dismissed as a Wall Street fever dream a bargain in which we might have tried to trade the most vulnerable members of our society in order to save the stock portfolios of the most prosperous.But the fact remains that herd immunity isn't merely a possible strategy. In the long run it's the only strategy. The question then is how to get there.The objective is to get the trajectory right' said Nadia Abuelezam a Boston College epidemiologist. That trajectory is what guides public policy. And right now public policy needs to bake in the understanding that unless we plan on spending the year or more it'll take to widely distribute a vaccine sequestered in our homes without respite we will need to immunize the state's population the hard way.For instance one of Lipsitch and Grad's findings is that the better we are at social distancing this spring the worse the subsequent spikes become. In fact a loose version of isolation that is less immediately effective might actually be preferable. Instead of trying to flatten the curve as much as possible now Lipsitch and Grad propose periods in which some of the population resumes normal social interactions followed by renewed suppression.Case in point Grad said is Singapore. Widely portrayed as a success story these past few months the city-state has now issued a month-long lockdown. They did a good job containing the disease initially' said Grad. But what that did was ensure that most of the population was still susceptible so now they're seeing a spike in infections.' The lesson here is that without a vaccine you can delay the pain but you can't prevent it.Controlled exposure is at odds with policies currently being followed around the world. That makes sense in the short term because it should be done in a way that minimizes harm. But once more widespread testing is in place and hospitals have the resources they need to treat COVID-19 patients then we could switch gears and allow for more exposure than we are allowing now. We can do this carefully and deliberately' Abuelezam said.There are several reasons to believe we can minimize harm while building immunity throughout the population. An advance in therapeutics might change our approach' Grad said. There are 40 drugs already approved by the Food and Drug Administration that are currently in trials for use against COVID-19. Success withany one of these could mean shorter hospital stays which would dramatically increase critical care capacity and thus the number of people allowed back to work and play.Critical to any future policy though will be vastly improved surveillance. It's a word with distinctly negative political connotations in America but that may need to change: For an epidemiologist it simply means being able to gather the kinds of data that are currently so desperately lacking. The common consensus is that because COVID-19 presents with mild or no symptoms at all in some large but as yet unknown percentage of the population our current case counts are low by an entire degree of magnitude or maybe more.No one knows for sure' said Samuel Scarpino a mathematical epidemiologist at Northeastern University. We just know they're wrong by a lot.'Jeff Howe is an assistant professor of journalism at Northeastern. Follow him on Twitter: @crowdsourcing. Caption:People filled the Esplanade last summer for the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular. Large gatherings like these may seem unimaginable now but they should come back once most people have developed immunity to the coronavirus either by vaccine or carefully controlled exposure."";""Jeff Howe"";""Northeastern University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"689;2020-04-10 12:00:00;146;""It''s possible to flatten the curve for too long"";""Jeff Howe"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""These are daunting numbers. Unfortunately they are not nearly daunting enough. Because while there is still a lot we don't know about COVID-19 including exactly how many people are or have been infected epidemiologists believe that this virus won't begin to disappear until a far higher percentage of the population � roughly 67 percent � develops immunity. If that doesn't happen with a vaccine it has to happen through exposure.For weeks the most pressing policy challenge has been relieving the life-and-death pressure on our hospitals. But all that justifiable emphasis on flattening the curve may have created a dangerous illusion that we can contain this disease and get away with relatively small infection rates.It's easy to forget that a pandemic is a story with only one ending: We must collectively develop an immunity to the disease. In lieu of a vaccine that means most of us will need to be exposed to the virus and some unknowably large number of us will die in the process.This is the simple scary math that Harvard epidemiologists Marc Lipsitch and his colleague Yonatan Grad have tried to convey in a series of recently published papers: If each person infected with COVID-19 disease in turn infects three more as we now think then in order to bring the disease to heel Grad says two of those people must already be immune. If one person can only spread the disease to one other person the virus is no longer an epidemic' he says. Two-thirds of the population of Massachusetts by the way is 4.5 million people.When asked why state officials would suggest that the outbreak might infect far fewer people in Massachusetts Lipsitch said: It doesn't make any sense to me to project that.' Indeed when asked about the figures Brooke Karanovich a spokeswoman for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services said they came from a model the state produced to inform an analysis about building hospital surge capacity not predict every detail about this fast-developing outbreak.'Herd immunity got a bad rap last month when Boris Johnson's government floated the strategy of allowing COVID-19 to rip through the British population quickly letting the chips fall where they may. The idea was rightly dismissed as a Wall Street fever dream a bargain in which we might have tried to trade the most vulnerable members of our society in order to save the stock portfolios of the most prosperous.But the fact remains that herd immunity isn't merely a possible strategy. In the long run it's the only strategy. The question then is how to get there.The objective is to get the trajectory right' said Nadia Abuelezam a Boston College epidemiologist. That trajectory is what guides public policy. And right now public policy needs to bake in the understanding that unless we plan on spending the year or more it'll take to widely distribute a vaccine sequestered in our homes without respite we will need to immunize the state's population the hard way.For instance one of Lipsitch and Grad's findings is that the better we are at social distancing this spring the worse the subsequent spikes become. In fact a loose version of isolation that is less immediately effective might actually be preferable. Instead of trying to flatten the curve as much as possible now Lipsitch and Grad propose periods in which some of the population resumes normal social interactions followed by renewed suppression.Case in point Grad said is Singapore. Widely portrayed as a success story these past few months the city-state has now issued a month-long lockdown. They did a good job containing the disease initially' said Grad. But what that did was ensure that most of the population was still susceptible so now they're seeing a spike in infections.' The lesson here is that without a vaccine you can delay the pain but you can't prevent it.Controlled exposure is at odds with policies currently being followed around the world. That makes sense in the short term because it should be done in a way that minimizes harm. But once more widespread testing is in place and hospitals have the resources they need to treat COVID-19 patients then we could switch gears and allow for more exposure than we are allowing now. We can do this carefully and deliberately' Abuelezam said.There are several reasons to believe we can minimize harm while building immunity throughout the population. An advance in therapeutics might change our approach' Grad said. There are 40 drugs already approved by the Food and Drug Administration that are currently in trials for use against COVID-19. Success withany one of these could mean shorter hospital stays which would dramatically increase critical care capacity and thus the number of people allowed back to work and play.Critical to any future policy though will be vastly improved surveillance. It's a word with distinctly negative political connotations in America but that may need to change: For an epidemiologist it simply means being able to gather the kinds of data that are currently so desperately lacking. The common consensus is that because COVID-19 presents with mild or no symptoms at all in some large but as yet unknown percentage of the population our current case counts are low by an entire degree of magnitude or maybe more.No one knows for sure' said Samuel Scarpino a mathematical epidemiologist at Northeastern University. We just know they're wrong by a lot.'Jeff Howe is an assistant professor of journalism at Northeastern. Follow him on Twitter: @crowdsourcing. Caption:People filled the Esplanade last summer for the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular. Large gatherings like these may seem unimaginable now but they should come back once most people have developed immunity to the coronavirus either by vaccine or carefully controlled exposure."";""Jeff Howe"";""Northeastern University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"681;2020-04-12 12:00:00;144;""There''s only one way this ends: herd immunity"";""Jeff Howe"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""These are daunting numbers. Unfortunately they are not nearly daunting enough. Because while there is still a lot we don't know about COVID-19 including exactly how many people are or have been infected epidemiologists believe that this virus won't begin to disappear until a far higher percentage of the population � at least 60 percent � develops immunity. If that doesn't happen with a vaccine it has to happen through exposure.For weeks the most pressing policy challenge has been relieving the life-and-death pressure on our hospitals. But all that justifiable emphasis on flattening the curve may have created a dangerous illusion that we can get away with relatively small infection rates.It's easy to forget that if a disease can't be contained � and it's too late for that in the COVID-19 pandemic � then there's only one possible ending to the story: We must collectively develop immunity to the disease. In lieu of a vaccine that means most of us will need to be exposed to the virus and some unknowably large number of us will die in the process.This is the simple scary math that Harvard epidemiologists Marc Lipsitch and his colleague Yonatan Grad have tried to convey in a series of recently published papers: If each person infected with COVID-19 disease in turn infects three more as we now think then in order to bring the disease to heel Grad says two of those people must already be immune. If one person can only spread the disease to one other person the virus is no longer an epidemic' he says. Two-thirds of the population of Massachusetts by the way is 4.5 million people.When asked why state officials would suggest that the outbreak might infect far fewer people in Massachusetts Lipsitch said: It doesn't make any sense to me to project that.' Indeed when asked about the figures Brooke Karanovich a spokeswoman for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services said they came from a model the state produced to inform an analysis about building hospital surge capacity not predict every detail about this fast-developing outbreak.'Herd immunity got a bad rap last month when Boris Johnson's government floated the strategy of allowing COVID-19 to rip through the British population quickly letting the chips fall where they may. The idea was rightly dismissed as a Wall Street fever dream a bargain in which we might have tried to trade the most vulnerable members of our society in order to save the stock portfolios of the most prosperous.But the fact remains that herd immunity isn't merely a possible strategy. In the long run it's the only strategy. The question then is how to get there responsibly.The objective is to get the trajectory right' said Nadia Abuelezam a Boston College epidemiologist. That trajectory is what guides public policy. And right now public policy needs to bake in the understanding that unless we plan on spending the year or more it'll take to widely distribute a vaccine sequestered in our homes without respite we will need to immunize the state's population the hard way.For instance one of Lipsitch and Grad's findings is that the better we are at social distancing this spring the worse the subsequent spikes become. In fact a loose version of isolation that is less immediately effective might actually be preferable. Instead of trying to flatten the curve as much as possible now Lipsitch and Grad's work indicates that it would be preferable to have periods in which some of the population resumes normal social interactions followed by renewed suppression.Case in point Grad said is Singapore. Widely portrayed as a success story these past few months the city-state has now issued a month-long lockdown. They did a good job containing the disease initially' said Grad. But what that did was ensure that most of the population was still susceptible so now they're seeing a spike in infections.' The lesson here is that without a vaccine you can delay the pain but you can't prevent it.Controlled exposure is at odds with policies currently being followed around the world. That makes sense in the short term because it should be done in a way that minimizes harm. But once more widespread testing is in place and hospitals have the resources they need to treat COVID-19 patients then we could switch gears and allow for more exposure than we are allowing now. We can do this carefully and deliberately' Abuelezam said.There are several reasons to believe we can minimize harm while building immunity throughout the population. An advance in therapeutics might change our approach' Grad said. There are 40 drugs already approved by the Food and Drug Administration that are currently in trials for use against COVID-19. Success withany one of these could mean shorter hospital stays which would dramatically increase critical care capacity and thus the number of people allowed back to work and play. Critical to any future policy though will be vastly improved surveillance. It's a word with distinctly negative political connotations in America but that may need to change: For an epidemiologist it simply means being able to gather the kinds of data that are currently so desperately lacking. The common consensus is that because COVID-19 presents with mild or no symptoms at all in some large but as yet unknown percentage of the population our current case counts are low by an entire degree of magnitude or maybe more."";""Jeff Howe"";""Northeastern University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"682;2020-04-12 12:00:00;144;""There''s only one way this ends: herd immunity"";""Jeff Howe"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""These are daunting numbers. Unfortunately they are not nearly daunting enough. Because while there is still a lot we don't know about COVID-19 including exactly how many people are or have been infected epidemiologists believe that this virus won't begin to disappear until a far higher percentage of the population � at least 60 percent � develops immunity. If that doesn't happen with a vaccine it has to happen through exposure.For weeks the most pressing policy challenge has been relieving the life-and-death pressure on our hospitals. But all that justifiable emphasis on flattening the curve may have created a dangerous illusion that we can get away with relatively small infection rates.It's easy to forget that if a disease can't be contained � and it's too late for that in the COVID-19 pandemic � then there's only one possible ending to the story: We must collectively develop immunity to the disease. In lieu of a vaccine that means most of us will need to be exposed to the virus and some unknowably large number of us will die in the process.This is the simple scary math that Harvard epidemiologists Marc Lipsitch and his colleague Yonatan Grad have tried to convey in a series of recently published papers: If each person infected with COVID-19 disease in turn infects three more as we now think then in order to bring the disease to heel Grad says two of those people must already be immune. If one person can only spread the disease to one other person the virus is no longer an epidemic' he says. Two-thirds of the population of Massachusetts by the way is 4.5 million people.When asked why state officials would suggest that the outbreak might infect far fewer people in Massachusetts Lipsitch said: It doesn't make any sense to me to project that.' Indeed when asked about the figures Brooke Karanovich a spokeswoman for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services said they came from a model the state produced to inform an analysis about building hospital surge capacity not predict every detail about this fast-developing outbreak.'Herd immunity got a bad rap last month when Boris Johnson's government floated the strategy of allowing COVID-19 to rip through the British population quickly letting the chips fall where they may. The idea was rightly dismissed as a Wall Street fever dream a bargain in which we might have tried to trade the most vulnerable members of our society in order to save the stock portfolios of the most prosperous.But the fact remains that herd immunity isn't merely a possible strategy. In the long run it's the only strategy. The question then is how to get there responsibly.The objective is to get the trajectory right' said Nadia Abuelezam a Boston College epidemiologist. That trajectory is what guides public policy. And right now public policy needs to bake in the understanding that unless we plan on spending the year or more it'll take to widely distribute a vaccine sequestered in our homes without respite we will need to immunize the state's population the hard way.For instance one of Lipsitch and Grad's findings is that the better we are at social distancing this spring the worse the subsequent spikes become. In fact a loose version of isolation that is less immediately effective might actually be preferable. Instead of trying to flatten the curve as much as possible now Lipsitch and Grad's work indicates that it would be preferable to have periods in which some of the population resumes normal social interactions followed by renewed suppression.Case in point Grad said is Singapore. Widely portrayed as a success story these past few months the city-state has now issued a month-long lockdown. They did a good job containing the disease initially' said Grad. But what that did was ensure that most of the population was still susceptible so now they're seeing a spike in infections.' The lesson here is that without a vaccine you can delay the pain but you can't prevent it.Controlled exposure is at odds with policies currently being followed around the world. That makes sense in the short term because it should be done in a way that minimizes harm. But once more widespread testing is in place and hospitals have the resources they need to treat COVID-19 patients then we could switch gears and allow for more exposure than we are allowing now. We can do this carefully and deliberately' Abuelezam said.There are several reasons to believe we can minimize harm while building immunity throughout the population. An advance in therapeutics might change our approach' Grad said. There are 40 drugs already approved by the Food and Drug Administration that are currently in trials for use against COVID-19. Success withany one of these could mean shorter hospital stays which would dramatically increase critical care capacity and thus the number of people allowed back to work and play. Critical to any future policy though will be vastly improved surveillance. It's a word with distinctly negative political connotations in America but that may need to change: For an epidemiologist it simply means being able to gather the kinds of data that are currently so desperately lacking. The common consensus is that because COVID-19 presents with mild or no symptoms at all in some large but as yet unknown percentage of the population our current case counts are low by an entire degree of magnitude or maybe more."";""Jeff Howe"";""Northeastern University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"683;2020-04-12 12:00:00;145;""The Dangerous History of Immunoprivilege"";""Kathryn Olivarius"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";"" Weve seen what happens when people with immunity to a deadly disease are given special treatment. It isnt pretty.Late last month a conservative website called The Federalist published an article advocating that healthy young Americans deliberately infect themselves with Covid-19 as part of a national controlled voluntary infection� strategy meant to build herd immunity.� If enough Americans expose themselves to the virus and become immune the theory goes the country would have a mobilized cadre of immune citizens. This immune elect could reopen businesses return to work and save the American economy.The article was widely discredited by public health experts and economists as both logically dubious and ethically specious but such thinking has already metastasized. The likes of Glenn Beck and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick of Texas have fashioned the willingness to endure a bout with coronavirus as a patriotic pro- economy act Germany Italy and Britain are all toying with notions of immunity passports � � proof that a person has beaten Covid-19 � that would allow people with antibodies to go back to work faster."";""Kathryn Olivarius"";""Stanford University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"524;2020-04-18 12:00:00;143;""Fact check: Herd immunity would not fully stop the spread of coronavirus"";""Molly Stellino"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The Rockefeller University released a statement April 13 saying Wittkowskis views do not represent the views of the Rockefeller University its leadership or itsfaculty. �"";"""";""Rockefeller University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"525;2020-04-18 12:00:00;143;""Fact check: Herd immunity would not fully stop the spread of coronavirus"";""Molly Stellino"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""We have to let nature do what otherwise the vaccine would do and that is create people who are immune because they went through a very mild form of the disease� he said."";""Knutt Wittkowski"";""Rockefeller University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"526;2020-04-18 12:00:00;143;""Fact check: Herd immunity would not fully stop the spread of coronavirus"";""Molly Stellino"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""you dont rely on the very deadly infectious agent to create an immune population�"";""Akiko Iwasaki"";""Yale University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"527;2020-04-18 12:00:00;143;""Fact check: Herd immunity would not fully stop the spread of coronavirus"";""Molly Stellino"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Dan Barouch director of the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Harvard University said between the two options of achieving herd immunity through infection versus vaccination I would certainly advocate for the latter. �"";""Dan Barouch"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"528;2020-04-18 12:00:00;143;""Fact check: Herd immunity would not fully stop the spread of coronavirus"";""Molly Stellino"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The letter signed by more than 500 scientists in the U. K. said Going for �herd immunity at this point does not seem a viable option as this will put (Britain's National Health Service) at an even stronger level of stress risking many more lives than necessary. �"";""UK Letter March"";""UK Letter March"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"529;2020-04-18 12:00:00;143;""Fact check: Herd immunity would not fully stop the spread of coronavirus"";""Molly Stellino"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The letter signed by more than 500 scientists in the U. K. said Going for �herd immunity at this point does not seem a viable option as this will put (Britain's National Health Service) at an even stronger level of stress risking many more lives than necessary. �"";""UK Letter March"";""UK Letter March"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"530;2020-04-18 12:00:00;143;""Fact check: Herd immunity would not fully stop the spread of coronavirus"";""Molly Stellino"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The letter signed by more than 500 scientists in the U. K. said Going for �herd immunity at this point does not seem a viable option as this will put (Britain's National Health Service) at an even stronger level of stress risking many more lives than necessary. �"";""UK Letter March"";""UK Letter March"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"531;2020-04-18 12:00:00;143;""Fact check: Herd immunity would not fully stop the spread of coronavirus"";""Molly Stellino"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""James Whitney principal investigator at the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research said COVID-19s unknown mutation rate poses uncertainty for reaching herd immunity.The short answer is we dont know enough right now to say if infection will offer complete protection� Whitney said. Everyone walking around hoping to engender herd immunity is probably not the best scenario. I would say a vaccine is probably the best way and the most durable way to engender herd immunity. �"";""James Whitney"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"516;2020-04-22 12:00:00;142;""Not enough is known to risk herd immunity by infection"";""Molly Stellino"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The Rockefeller University released a statement April 13 saying Wittkowski's views 'do not represent the views of the Rockefeller University its leadership or itsfaculty.'"";"""";""Rockefeller University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"517;2020-04-22 12:00:00;142;""Not enough is known to risk herd immunity by infection"";""Molly Stellino"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'We have to let nature do what otherwise the vaccine would do and that is create people who are immune because they went through a very mild form of the disease' he said."";""Knutt Wittkowski"";""Rockefeller University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"518;2020-04-22 12:00:00;142;""Not enough is known to risk herd immunity by infection"";""Molly Stellino"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'you don't rely on the very deadly infectious agent to create an immune population'"";""Akiko Iwasaki"";""Yale University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"519;2020-04-22 12:00:00;142;""Not enough is known to risk herd immunity by infection"";""Molly Stellino"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'I would certainly advocate for the latter.'"";""Dan Barouch"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"520;2020-04-22 12:00:00;142;""Not enough is known to risk herd immunity by infection"";""Molly Stellino"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The letter signed by more than 500 scientists in the U.K. said 'Going for 'herd immunity' at this point does not seem a viable option as this will put (Britain's National Health Service) at an even stronger level of stress risking many more lives than necessary.'"";""UK Letter March"";""UK Letter March"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"521;2020-04-22 12:00:00;142;""Not enough is known to risk herd immunity by infection"";""Molly Stellino"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The letter signed by more than 500 scientists in the U.K. said 'Going for 'herd immunity' at this point does not seem a viable option as this will put (Britain's National Health Service) at an even stronger level of stress risking many more lives than necessary.'"";""UK Letter March"";""UK Letter March"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"522;2020-04-22 12:00:00;142;""Not enough is known to risk herd immunity by infection"";""Molly Stellino"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The letter signed by more than 500 scientists in the U.K. said 'Going for 'herd immunity' at this point does not seem a viable option as this will put (Britain's National Health Service) at an even stronger level of stress risking many more lives than necessary.'"";""UK Letter March"";""UK Letter March"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"523;2020-04-22 12:00:00;142;""Not enough is known to risk herd immunity by infection"";""Molly Stellino"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""James Whitney principal investigator at the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research said COVID-19's unknown mutation rate poses uncertainty for reaching herd immunity. 'The short answer is we don't know enough right now to say if infection will offer complete protection' he said. 'Everyone walking around hoping to engender herd immunity is probably not the best scenario. I would say a vaccine is probably the best way and the most durable way to engender herd immunity.'"";""James Whitney"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"512;2020-04-25 12:00:00;140;""Study finds more infections in L.A. area Research shows hundreds of thousands have antibodies but still short of herd immunity"";""Melanie Mason"";""The Spokesman-Review"";"""";"""";""'Any way you slice the data it's clear that herd immunity in this situation does not apply. It's still way below that level' said Natalie Dean a professor of biostatistics at the University of Florida."";""Natalie Dean"";""University of Florida"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"515;2020-04-25 12:00:00;141;""Has Coronavirus Been in California Since the Fall? Researchers Investigate Inquiries debunk popular theory about herd immunity and early spread of Covid-19 in the U.S."";""Preetika Rana"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""Those numbers however are nowhere close to the levels typically needed for herd immunity of 50% or above said Michael Busch director of the Vitalant Research Institute which is conducting a nationwide serology study funded by the National Institutes of Health. 'I doubt we'll see more than 5% to 10% of the U.S. populationimmune' Dr. Busch said."";""Michael Busch"";""Vitalant Research Institute"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"513;2020-04-25 12:00:00;141;""Has Coronavirus Been in California Since the Fall? Researchers Investigate Inquiries debunk popular theory about herd immunity and early spread of Covid-19 in the U.S."";""Preetika Rana"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""Victor Davis Hanson the author of the National Review article said in a follow-up piece dated April 11 that he didn't claim to be a 'doctor much less an epidemiologist or a conductor of any such study' and that he wasn't affiliated with Stanford's medical school.In an email Mr. Hanson added 'We are in a completely fluid situation more of the certainties of the last 5 weeks have been proven uncertain and we should entertain an open mind about the next patient zero the likely number of infected the lethality of the virus' as well as 'the track record of 'not likely' or 'likely' assessments.'His theory lives on. In a series of tweets last week conservative radio-show host Bill Mitchell pushed the idea of herd immunity to his hundreds of thousands of followers. 'The downside of social distancing assuming it works at all is that it prevents herd immunity' he wrote."";""Bill Mitchell"";"""";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"514;2020-04-25 12:00:00;141;""Has Coronavirus Been in California Since the Fall? Researchers Investigate Inquiries debunk popular theory about herd immunity and early spread of Covid-19 in the U.S."";""Preetika Rana"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""Victor Davis Hanson the author of the National Review article said in a follow-up piece dated April 11 that he didn't claim to be a 'doctor much less an epidemiologist or a conductor of any such study' and that he wasn't affiliated with Stanford's medical school.In an email Mr. Hanson added 'We are in a completely fluid situation more of the certainties of the last 5 weeks have been proven uncertain and we should entertain an open mind about the next patient zero the likely number of infected the lethality of the virus' as well as 'the track record of 'not likely' or 'likely' assessments.'His theory lives on. In a series of tweets last week conservative radio-show host Bill Mitchell pushed the idea of herd immunity to his hundreds of thousands of followers. 'The downside of social distancing assuming it works at all is that it prevents herd immunity' he wrote."";""Victor Davis Hanson"";"""";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"509;2020-04-28 12:00:00;139;""Swedish official Anders Tegnell says ''herd immunity'' in Sweden might be a few weeks away"";""Kim Hjelmgaard"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'Can't imagine why': Donald Trump denies responsibility for disinfectant confusion after some states report increased calls What's the latest from Sweden?Tegnell: We are doing two major investigations. We may have those results this week or a bit later in May. We know from modeling and some data we have already � these data are a little uncertain � that we probably had a transmission peak in Stockholm a couple of weeks ago which means that we are probably hitting the peak of infections right about now. We think that up to 25% of people in Stockholm have been exposed to coronavirus and are possibly immune. A recent survey from one of our hospitals in Stockholm found that 27% of staff there are immune. We think that most of those are immune from transmission in society not the workplace. We could reach herd immunity in Stockholm within a matter of weeks.(Editor's note: The World Health Organization has warned that individuals who have had COVID-19 are not necessarily immune by the presence of antibodies fromgetting the virus again. They might be but the scientific work hasn't reached the stage where that has been conclusively proved. Tegnell said that at the population level if antibodies can't be viewed as an indication of immunity then this undermines the whole rationale for developing a vaccine. 'If you can't get population immunity how can we then think a vaccine will protect us?' he said. The precise percentage required for 'herd immunity' changes based on the disease. Britain briefly entertained a 'herd immunity' strategy before altering course amid a rapidly rising death toll. Britain's chief scientific officer concluded that a figure of 60% might be needed for COVID-19. It could be months before a fuller picture emerges of who remains vulnerable to coronavirus. )New science: Why Iceland has tested more people for COVID-19 than anywhere else What is Sweden's COVID-19 strategy?Tegnell: We are trying to keep transmission rates at a level that the Stockholm health system can sustain. So far that has worked out. The health system is stressed. They are working very hard. But they have delivered health care to everybody including those without COVID-19. That is our goal. We are not calculating herd immunity in this. With various measures we are just trying to keep the transmission rate as low as possible. The amount of cases has been stable for the last two-to- three weeks. We believe herd immunity will of course help us in the long run and we are discussing that but it's not like we are actively trying to achieve it as has been made out (by the press and some scientists). If we wanted to achieve herd immunity we would have done nothing and let coronavirus run rampant through society. We are trying to keep the transmission rate as low as we can. We have taken reasonable measures without really hurting health care or schools. We are going for a sustainable strategy something we can keep on doing for months. Coronavirus is not something that is just going to go away. Any country that believes it can keep it out (by closing borders shuttering businesses etc. ) will most likely be proven wrong at some stage. We need to learn to live with this disease.What has voluntary social distancing meant for Sweden's economy?Tegnell: You'll need to ask our economists. I know nothing about this. But at a glance it looks to me that Sweden's economy is doing a lot better than others'. Our strategy has been successful because health care is still working. That's the measure we look at. (Editor's note: Swedens COVID-19 strategy may ultimately result in a smaller � albeit historically deep � economic contraction than the rest of Europe is now facing according to a recent Bloomberg article citing an HSBC Global Research economist. Surveys show that about half of Swedes are working from home use of public transport is down by about 50% and economic activity has slowed. But shops restaurants and hair salons remain open. Still Sweden's Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson has warned that annual GDP could shrink by 10% and unemployment rise to 13. 5%. Economic forecasts for the U. S. vary. Some economists believe GDP will suffer a double-digit decline in the second quarter. The Congressional Budget Office forecasts a whopping 28% annual decline for U. S. GDP but this assumes four consecutive quarterly declines of 7%. Many economists predict the U. S. economy may rebound this summer. The March unemployment rate in the U. S. stood at 4. 4%. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett has forecast that the figure for April could soar to 16-17%. ).Have Sweden's voluntary measures led to more deaths more quickly than if it had imposed a mandatory lockdown?Tegnell: We don't really know yet. What the crisis has shown is that we need to do some serious thinking about nursing homes because they have been so open to transmission (more than a third of Sweden's COVID-19 fatalities have been reported in nursing homes) of the disease and we had such a hard time controlling it in that setting. However this is only indirectly related to our strategy because the strategy was to protect those people and that part of it did not work out. This is perhaps not a surprise because there has always been a problem with running these homes safely in Sweden going back a long time. That's something we are taking advice on now and that we intend to do better on.(Editor's note: Sweden has a population of 10 million people about twice as large as its nearest Scandinavian neighbors. As of April 28 the country's COVID-19 death toll reached 2274 about five times higher than in Denmark and 11 times higher than in Norway according to John Hopkins University's coronavirus tracker. )What if your strategy fails? Plan B?Tegnell: It's not just me running this. It's the entire agency and the government. We are all having continuous discussions about what we are doing and whether it's the right thing. So far everyone is reasonably OK with it with the exception of the high proportion of deaths in nursing homes. But it's also accepted that this is to a great extent a separate problem. Crucially the public is on our side. They are worried about the economy but not that the disease is spreading uncontrollably in Sweden. We have many reasons to think that we are doing the right thing. It's true that our death toll is higher compared to Denmark and Norway but we have a lot of other things going for us. If you compare us to other countries in Europe who have severe lockdowns we are doing at least as good as them and in many cases better. Every country is wondering whether they are doing the right thing. What's happening now is that many countries are starting to come around to the Swedish way. They are opening schools trying to find an exit strategy. It comes back to sustainability. We need to have measures in place that we can keep on doing over the longer term not just for a few months or several weeks.What's your take on the US strategy?Tegnell: I don't know it well enough but it still seems to me that the Americans let coronavirus go too far before any real strategy came into place. One of the real big problems in the beginning was the lack of testing. I'm also not really sure how well the U. S. health system can change as dramatically as we in Sweden have been able to for example. We have almost double the intensive care capacity that we had a couple of weeks ago. Being centrally organized and steered (as part of a state-funded system) allows for greater flexibility in changing the health system. I'm not sure how well that can be done in the U. S. with all the private actors and insurance firms. It may make it more difficult to handle this kind of situation."";""Anders Tegnell"";""Sweden Public Health Agency"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"510;2020-04-28 12:00:00;139;""Swedish official Anders Tegnell says ''herd immunity'' in Sweden might be a few weeks away"";""Kim Hjelmgaard"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'Can't imagine why': Donald Trump denies responsibility for disinfectant confusion after some states report increased calls What's the latest from Sweden?Tegnell: We are doing two major investigations. We may have those results this week or a bit later in May. We know from modeling and some data we have already � these data are a little uncertain � that we probably had a transmission peak in Stockholm a couple of weeks ago which means that we are probably hitting the peak of infections right about now. We think that up to 25% of people in Stockholm have been exposed to coronavirus and are possibly immune. A recent survey from one of our hospitals in Stockholm found that 27% of staff there are immune. We think that most of those are immune from transmission in society not the workplace. We could reach herd immunity in Stockholm within a matter of weeks.(Editor's note: The World Health Organization has warned that individuals who have had COVID-19 are not necessarily immune by the presence of antibodies fromgetting the virus again. They might be but the scientific work hasn't reached the stage where that has been conclusively proved. Tegnell said that at the population level if antibodies can't be viewed as an indication of immunity then this undermines the whole rationale for developing a vaccine. 'If you can't get population immunity how can we then think a vaccine will protect us?' he said. The precise percentage required for 'herd immunity' changes based on the disease. Britain briefly entertained a 'herd immunity' strategy before altering course amid a rapidly rising death toll. Britain's chief scientific officer concluded that a figure of 60% might be needed for COVID-19. It could be months before a fuller picture emerges of who remains vulnerable to coronavirus. )New science: Why Iceland has tested more people for COVID-19 than anywhere else What is Sweden's COVID-19 strategy?Tegnell: We are trying to keep transmission rates at a level that the Stockholm health system can sustain. So far that has worked out. The health system is stressed. They are working very hard. But they have delivered health care to everybody including those without COVID-19. That is our goal. We are not calculating herd immunity in this. With various measures we are just trying to keep the transmission rate as low as possible. The amount of cases has been stable for the last two-to- three weeks. We believe herd immunity will of course help us in the long run and we are discussing that but it's not like we are actively trying to achieve it as has been made out (by the press and some scientists). If we wanted to achieve herd immunity we would have done nothing and let coronavirus run rampant through society. We are trying to keep the transmission rate as low as we can. We have taken reasonable measures without really hurting health care or schools. We are going for a sustainable strategy something we can keep on doing for months. Coronavirus is not something that is just going to go away. Any country that believes it can keep it out (by closing borders shuttering businesses etc. ) will most likely be proven wrong at some stage. We need to learn to live with this disease.What has voluntary social distancing meant for Sweden's economy?Tegnell: You'll need to ask our economists. I know nothing about this. But at a glance it looks to me that Sweden's economy is doing a lot better than others'. Our strategy has been successful because health care is still working. That's the measure we look at. (Editor's note: Swedens COVID-19 strategy may ultimately result in a smaller � albeit historically deep � economic contraction than the rest of Europe is now facing according to a recent Bloomberg article citing an HSBC Global Research economist. Surveys show that about half of Swedes are working from home use of public transport is down by about 50% and economic activity has slowed. But shops restaurants and hair salons remain open. Still Sweden's Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson has warned that annual GDP could shrink by 10% and unemployment rise to 13. 5%. Economic forecasts for the U. S. vary. Some economists believe GDP will suffer a double-digit decline in the second quarter. The Congressional Budget Office forecasts a whopping 28% annual decline for U. S. GDP but this assumes four consecutive quarterly declines of 7%. Many economists predict the U. S. economy may rebound this summer. The March unemployment rate in the U. S. stood at 4. 4%. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett has forecast that the figure for April could soar to 16-17%. ).Have Sweden's voluntary measures led to more deaths more quickly than if it had imposed a mandatory lockdown?Tegnell: We don't really know yet. What the crisis has shown is that we need to do some serious thinking about nursing homes because they have been so open to transmission (more than a third of Sweden's COVID-19 fatalities have been reported in nursing homes) of the disease and we had such a hard time controlling it in that setting. However this is only indirectly related to our strategy because the strategy was to protect those people and that part of it did not work out. This is perhaps not a surprise because there has always been a problem with running these homes safely in Sweden going back a long time. That's something we are taking advice on now and that we intend to do better on.(Editor's note: Sweden has a population of 10 million people about twice as large as its nearest Scandinavian neighbors. As of April 28 the country's COVID-19 death toll reached 2274 about five times higher than in Denmark and 11 times higher than in Norway according to John Hopkins University's coronavirus tracker. )What if your strategy fails? Plan B?Tegnell: It's not just me running this. It's the entire agency and the government. We are all having continuous discussions about what we are doing and whether it's the right thing. So far everyone is reasonably OK with it with the exception of the high proportion of deaths in nursing homes. But it's also accepted that this is to a great extent a separate problem. Crucially the public is on our side. They are worried about the economy but not that the disease is spreading uncontrollably in Sweden. We have many reasons to think that we are doing the right thing. It's true that our death toll is higher compared to Denmark and Norway but we have a lot of other things going for us. If you compare us to other countries in Europe who have severe lockdowns we are doing at least as good as them and in many cases better. Every country is wondering whether they are doing the right thing. What's happening now is that many countries are starting to come around to the Swedish way. They are opening schools trying to find an exit strategy. It comes back to sustainability. We need to have measures in place that we can keep on doing over the longer term not just for a few months or several weeks.What's your take on the US strategy?Tegnell: I don't know it well enough but it still seems to me that the Americans let coronavirus go too far before any real strategy came into place. One of the real big problems in the beginning was the lack of testing. I'm also not really sure how well the U. S. health system can change as dramatically as we in Sweden have been able to for example. We have almost double the intensive care capacity that we had a couple of weeks ago. Being centrally organized and steered (as part of a state-funded system) allows for greater flexibility in changing the health system. I'm not sure how well that can be done in the U. S. with all the private actors and insurance firms. It may make it more difficult to handle this kind of situation."";""Anders Tegnell"";""Sweden Public Health Agency"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"511;2020-04-28 12:00:00;139;""Swedish official Anders Tegnell says ''herd immunity'' in Sweden might be a few weeks away"";""Kim Hjelmgaard"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'Can't imagine why': Donald Trump denies responsibility for disinfectant confusion after some states report increased calls What's the latest from Sweden?Tegnell: We are doing two major investigations. We may have those results this week or a bit later in May. We know from modeling and some data we have already – these data are a little uncertain – that we probably had a transmission peak in Stockholm a couple of weeks ago which means that we are probably hitting the peak of infections right about now. We think that up to 25% of people in Stockholm have been exposed to coronavirus and are possibly immune. A recent survey from one of our hospitals in Stockholm found that 27% of staff there are immune. We think that most of those are immune from transmission in society not the workplace. We could reach herd immunity in Stockholm within a matter of weeks.(Editor's note: The World Health Organization has warned that individuals who have had COVID-19 are not necessarily immune by the presence of antibodies fromgetting the virus again. They might be but the scientific work hasn't reached the stage where that has been conclusively proved. Tegnell said that at the population level if antibodies can't be viewed as an indication of immunity then this undermines the whole rationale for developing a vaccine. 'If you can't get population immunity how can we then think a vaccine will protect us?' he said. The precise percentage required for 'herd immunity' changes based on the disease. Britain briefly entertained a 'herd immunity' strategy before altering course amid a rapidly rising death toll. Britain's chief scientific officer concluded that a figure of 60% might be needed for COVID-19. It could be months before a fuller picture emerges of who remains vulnerable to coronavirus. )New science: Why Iceland has tested more people for COVID-19 than anywhere else What is Sweden's COVID-19 strategy?Tegnell: We are trying to keep transmission rates at a level that the Stockholm health system can sustain. So far that has worked out. The health system is stressed. They are working very hard. But they have delivered health care to everybody including those without COVID-19. That is our goal. We are not calculating herd immunity in this. With various measures we are just trying to keep the transmission rate as low as possible. The amount of cases has been stable for the last two-to- three weeks. We believe herd immunity will of course help us in the long run and we are discussing that but it's not like we are actively trying to achieve it as has been made out (by the press and some scientists). If we wanted to achieve herd immunity we would have done nothing and let coronavirus run rampant through society. We are trying to keep the transmission rate as low as we can. We have taken reasonable measures without really hurting health care or schools. We are going for a sustainable strategy something we can keep on doing for months. Coronavirus is not something that is just going to go away. Any country that believes it can keep it out (by closing borders shuttering businesses etc. ) will most likely be proven wrong at some stage. We need to learn to live with this disease. something we can keep on doing for months. Coronavirus is not something that is just going to go away. Any country that believes it can keep it out (by closing bordersWhat has voluntary social distancing meant for Sweden's economy?Tegnell: You'll need to ask our economists. I know nothing about this. But at a glance it looks to me that Sweden's economy is doing a lot better than others'. Our strategy has been successful because health care is still working. That's the measure we look at. (Editor's note: Sweden’s COVID-19 strategy may ultimately result in a smaller – albeit historically deep – economic contraction than the rest of Europe is now facing according to a recent Bloomberg article citing an HSBC Global Research economist. Surveys show that about half of Swedes are working from home use of public transport is down by about 50% and economic activity has slowed. But shops restaurants and hair salons remain open. Still Sweden's Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson has warned that annual GDP could shrink by 10% and unemployment rise to 13. 5%. Economic forecasts for the U. S. vary. Some economists believe GDP will suffer a double-digit decline in the second quarter. The Congressional Budget Office forecasts a whopping 28% annual decline for U. S. GDP but this assumes four consecutive quarterly declines of 7%. Many economists predict the U. S. economy may rebound this summer. The March unemployment rate in the U. S. stood at 4. 4%. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett has forecast that the figure for April could soar to 16-17%. ). Sweden's Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson has warned that annual GDP could shrink by 10% and unemployment rise to 13. 5%. Economic forecasts for the U. S. vary. Some economists believe GDP will suffer a double-digit decline in the second quarter. The Congressional Budget Office forecasts a whopping 28% annual decline for U. S. GDPHave Sweden's voluntary measures led to more deaths more quickly than if it had imposed a mandatory lockdown?Tegnell: We don't really know yet. What the crisis has shown is that we need to do some serious thinking about nursing homes because they have been so open to transmission (more than a third of Sweden's COVID-19 fatalities have been reported in nursing homes) of the disease and we had such a hard time controlling it in that setting. However this is only indirectly related to our strategy because the strategy was to protect those people and that part of it did not work out. This is perhaps not a surprise because there has always been a problem with running these homes safely in Sweden going back a long time. That's something we are taking advice on now and that we intend to do better on.(Editor's note: Sweden has a population of 10 million people about twice as large as its nearest Scandinavian neighbors. As of April 28 the country's COVID-19 death toll reached 2274 about five times higher than in Denmark and 11 times higher than in Norway according to John Hopkins University's coronavirus tracker. ) according to John Hopkins University's coronavirus tracker. )What if your strategy fails? Plan B?Tegnell: It's not just me running this. It's the entire agency and the government. We are all having continuous discussions about what we are doing and whether it's the right thing. So far everyone is reasonably OK with it with the exception of the high proportion of deaths in nursing homes. But it's also accepted that this is to a great extent a separate problem. Crucially the public is on our side. They are worried about the economy but not that the disease is spreading uncontrollably in Sweden. We have many reasons to think that we are doing the right thing. It's true that our death toll is higher compared to Denmark and Norway but we have a lot of other things going for us. If you compare us to other countries in Europe who have severe lockdowns we are doing at least as good as them and in many cases better. Every country is wondering whether they are doing the right thing. What's happening now is that many countries are starting to come around to the Swedish way. They are opening schools trying to find an exit strategy. It comes back to sustainability. We need to have measures in place that we can keep on doing over the longer term not just for a few months or several weeks. but we have a lot of other things going for us. If you compare us to other countries in Europe who have severe lockdowns we are doing at least as good as them and in many cases better. Every country is wondering whether they are doing the right thing. What's happening now is that many countries are starting to come around to the Swedish way. They are opening schoolsWhat's your take on the US strategy?Tegnell: I don't know it well enough but it still seems to me that the Americans let coronavirus go too far before any real strategy came into place. One of the real big problems in the beginning was the lack of testing. I'm also not really sure how well the U. S. health system can change as dramatically as we in Sweden have been able to for example. We have almost double the intensive care capacity that we had a couple of weeks ago. Being centrally organized and steered (as part of a state-funded system) allows for greater flexibility in changing the health system. I'm not sure how well that can be done in the U. S. with all the private actors and insurance firms. It may make it more difficult to handle this kind of situation."";""Anders Tegnell"";""Sweden Public Health Agency"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"719;2020-04-29 12:00:00;138;""Antibody tests show we''re nowhere near herd immunity"";""Natalie Dean Caitlin Rivers"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""A wave of preliminary results of antibody tests is adding to our understanding of how the novel coronavirus is moving through the American population. But there are reasons to be cautious about interpreting the findings.In contrast with tests for active infection these tests detect antibodies the body creates after someone has been infected with the virus. So they should identify people who got sick and recovered from the disease covid-19 or who carried the virus but had no symptoms.In recent weeks in separate studies researchers have announced that roughly 2.5 to 4 percent of residents in Santa Clara County Calif. 3 to 6 percent of people in Los Angeles County 6 percent in Miami-Dade County and 14 percent across New York state have been infected at some point by the coronavirus. That last study estimated that as many as 1 in 5 residents of New York City had been infected.Unfortunately these new antibody tests can have high error rates and in the studies involving Los Angeles County Miami-Dade County and New York the full scientific reports are not yet available for scientists to review. The Santa Clara County study also came under criticism from other scholars for its methodology andstatistical analysis.What can we learn from these studies? First they reveal that even in the hardest-hit communities most people are still at risk of being infected by the virus. We are a long long way from developing 'herd immunity' � meaning that so many are immune that there are not enough susceptible people left for the virus to circulate. This would require at least 60 percent of the population to be infected. With low levels of immunity in the population if we lift restrictions on movement and 'reopen' the economy without proper precautions the coronavirus outbreak could again take off.Even more worrisome are some of the other conclusions that people are drawing from the results. Last month two Stanford Medicine professors who contributed to the Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties studies Eran Bendavid and Jay Bhattacharya wrote an opinion article in the Wall Street Journal titled 'Is the Coronavirus as Deadly as They Say?' They argued that previous overestimates of the death rate for coronavirus infection � now 'corrected' by the antibody studies � meant that massive shutdowns and stay-in place orders were likely excessive.It was already widely known however that we often only identify the most severe covid-19 cases through testing swab samples. Early (rough) estimates are that a quarter or even as many as half of infections have no symptoms at all those would be totally missed as well. The current official tally in Santa Clara County is 100 deaths and 2084 confirmed cases which would crudely suggest that 4.7 percent of cases are fatal. Naturally antibody tests can help us pin down the true death rate following infection by allowing us to include everyone even infections with no symptoms in the denominator. Based on the Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties studies' results only 0.1 to 0.2 percent of infections are fatal.It's unclear that this estimate will hold up to further scrutiny. Notably if the fatality rate were truly only 0.1 percent that implies that all 8 million people in New York City have already been infected � which seems unlikely. That supposition is also contradicted by the New York antibody test results which suggest that fatality rates there are closer to 0.5 or 1 percent. But even if the California numbers are accurate they in no way warrant a conclusion that shutdowns were an overreaction.If we know anything about this virus it is that it spreads easily. Unlike influenza there is virtually no population-level immunity meaning many more people can be infected millions in the United States alone. We also know that it overwhelms health-care systems. In New York City there have been more than 40000 hospitalizations and nearly 17000 deaths � and that follows the Italian catastrophe in which some hospitals including in the Lombardy region were reportedly forced to triage care choosing who would receive scarce ventilators.With the potential for huge numbers of people to be infected taking comfort in a lower death rate would be the wrong way to think about the results � and easing up efforts to blunt this deadly public health threat would be a serious mistake. We know firsthand that covid-19 can quickly spiral out of control in cities and entire regions of countries with devastating consequences. Preventing the disasters we've seen in Wuhan New York City and Lombardy must remain our first priority. Antibody studies alone cannot tell us if we are ready to reopen the economy. That will instead depend on our preparedness to test trace and isolate infected people so that we don't end up back where we started."";""Natalie Dean"";""University of Florida"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"720;2020-04-29 12:00:00;138;""Antibody tests show we''re nowhere near herd immunity"";""Natalie Dean Caitlin Rivers"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""A wave of preliminary results of antibody tests is adding to our understanding of how the novel coronavirus is moving through the American population. But there are reasons to be cautious about interpreting the findings.In contrast with tests for active infection these tests detect antibodies the body creates after someone has been infected with the virus. So they should identify people who got sick and recovered from the disease covid-19 or who carried the virus but had no symptoms.In recent weeks in separate studies researchers have announced that roughly 2.5 to 4 percent of residents in Santa Clara County Calif. 3 to 6 percent of people in Los Angeles County 6 percent in Miami-Dade County and 14 percent across New York state have been infected at some point by the coronavirus. That last study estimated that as many as 1 in 5 residents of New York City had been infected.Unfortunately these new antibody tests can have high error rates and in the studies involving Los Angeles County Miami-Dade County and New York the full scientific reports are not yet available for scientists to review. The Santa Clara County study also came under criticism from other scholars for its methodology andstatistical analysis.What can we learn from these studies? First they reveal that even in the hardest-hit communities most people are still at risk of being infected by the virus. We are a long long way from developing 'herd immunity' � meaning that so many are immune that there are not enough susceptible people left for the virus to circulate. This would require at least 60 percent of the population to be infected. With low levels of immunity in the population if we lift restrictions on movement and 'reopen' the economy without proper precautions the coronavirus outbreak could again take off.Even more worrisome are some of the other conclusions that people are drawing from the results. Last month two Stanford Medicine professors who contributed to the Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties studies Eran Bendavid and Jay Bhattacharya wrote an opinion article in the Wall Street Journal titled 'Is the Coronavirus as Deadly as They Say?' They argued that previous overestimates of the death rate for coronavirus infection � now 'corrected' by the antibody studies � meant that massive shutdowns and stay-in place orders were likely excessive.It was already widely known however that we often only identify the most severe covid-19 cases through testing swab samples. Early (rough) estimates are that a quarter or even as many as half of infections have no symptoms at all those would be totally missed as well. The current official tally in Santa Clara County is 100 deaths and 2084 confirmed cases which would crudely suggest that 4.7 percent of cases are fatal. Naturally antibody tests can help us pin down the true death rate following infection by allowing us to include everyone even infections with no symptoms in the denominator. Based on the Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties studies' results only 0.1 to 0.2 percent of infections are fatal.It's unclear that this estimate will hold up to further scrutiny. Notably if the fatality rate were truly only 0.1 percent that implies that all 8 million people in New York City have already been infected � which seems unlikely. That supposition is also contradicted by the New York antibody test results which suggest that fatality rates there are closer to 0.5 or 1 percent. But even if the California numbers are accurate they in no way warrant a conclusion that shutdowns were an overreaction.If we know anything about this virus it is that it spreads easily. Unlike influenza there is virtually no population-level immunity meaning many more people can be infected millions in the United States alone. We also know that it overwhelms health-care systems. In New York City there have been more than 40000 hospitalizations and nearly 17000 deaths � and that follows the Italian catastrophe in which some hospitals including in the Lombardy region were reportedly forced to triage care choosing who would receive scarce ventilators.With the potential for huge numbers of people to be infected taking comfort in a lower death rate would be the wrong way to think about the results � and easing up efforts to blunt this deadly public health threat would be a serious mistake. We know firsthand that covid-19 can quickly spiral out of control in cities and entire regions of countries with devastating consequences. Preventing the disasters we've seen in Wuhan New York City and Lombardy must remain our first priority. Antibody studies alone cannot tell us if we are ready to reopen the economy. That will instead depend on our preparedness to test trace and isolate infected people so that we don't end up back where we started."";""Natalie Dean"";""University of Florida"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"721;2020-04-29 12:00:00;138;""Antibody tests show we''re nowhere near herd immunity"";""Natalie Dean Caitlin Rivers"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""A wave of preliminary results of antibody tests is adding to our understanding of how the novel coronavirus is moving through the American population. But there are reasons to be cautious about interpreting the findings.In contrast with tests for active infection these tests detect antibodies the body creates after someone has been infected with the virus. So they should identify people who got sick and recovered from the disease covid-19 or who carried the virus but had no symptoms.In recent weeks in separate studies researchers have announced that roughly 2.5 to 4 percent of residents in Santa Clara County Calif. 3 to 6 percent of people in Los Angeles County 6 percent in Miami-Dade County and 14 percent across New York state have been infected at some point by the coronavirus. That last study estimated that as many as 1 in 5 residents of New York City had been infected.Unfortunately these new antibody tests can have high error rates and in the studies involving Los Angeles County Miami-Dade County and New York the full scientific reports are not yet available for scientists to review. The Santa Clara County study also came under criticism from other scholars for its methodology andstatistical analysis.What can we learn from these studies? First they reveal that even in the hardest-hit communities most people are still at risk of being infected by the virus. We are a long long way from developing 'herd immunity' � meaning that so many are immune that there are not enough susceptible people left for the virus to circulate. This would require at least 60 percent of the population to be infected. With low levels of immunity in the population if we lift restrictions on movement and 'reopen' the economy without proper precautions the coronavirus outbreak could again take off.Even more worrisome are some of the other conclusions that people are drawing from the results. Last month two Stanford Medicine professors who contributed to the Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties studies Eran Bendavid and Jay Bhattacharya wrote an opinion article in the Wall Street Journal titled 'Is the Coronavirus as Deadly as They Say?' They argued that previous overestimates of the death rate for coronavirus infection � now 'corrected' by the antibody studies � meant that massive shutdowns and stay-in place orders were likely excessive.It was already widely known however that we often only identify the most severe covid-19 cases through testing swab samples. Early (rough) estimates are that a quarter or even as many as half of infections have no symptoms at all those would be totally missed as well. The current official tally in Santa Clara County is 100 deaths and 2084 confirmed cases which would crudely suggest that 4.7 percent of cases are fatal. Naturally antibody tests can help us pin down the true death rate following infection by allowing us to include everyone even infections with no symptoms in the denominator. Based on the Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties studies' results only 0.1 to 0.2 percent of infections are fatal.It's unclear that this estimate will hold up to further scrutiny. Notably if the fatality rate were truly only 0.1 percent that implies that all 8 million people in New York City have already been infected � which seems unlikely. That supposition is also contradicted by the New York antibody test results which suggest that fatality rates there are closer to 0.5 or 1 percent. But even if the California numbers are accurate they in no way warrant a conclusion that shutdowns were an overreaction.If we know anything about this virus it is that it spreads easily. Unlike influenza there is virtually no population-level immunity meaning many more people can be infected millions in the United States alone. We also know that it overwhelms health-care systems. In New York City there have been more than 40000 hospitalizations and nearly 17000 deaths � and that follows the Italian catastrophe in which some hospitals including in the Lombardy region were reportedly forced to triage care choosing who would receive scarce ventilators.With the potential for huge numbers of people to be infected taking comfort in a lower death rate would be the wrong way to think about the results � and easing up efforts to blunt this deadly public health threat would be a serious mistake. We know firsthand that covid-19 can quickly spiral out of control in cities and entire regions of countries with devastating consequences. Preventing the disasters we've seen in Wuhan New York City and Lombardy must remain our first priority. Antibody studies alone cannot tell us if we are ready to reopen the economy. That will instead depend on our preparedness to test trace and isolate infected people so that we don't end up back where we started."";""Caitlin Rivers"";""John Hopkins University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"722;2020-04-29 12:00:00;138;""Antibody tests show we''re nowhere near herd immunity"";""Natalie Dean Caitlin Rivers"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""A wave of preliminary results of antibody tests is adding to our understanding of how the novel coronavirus is moving through the American population. But there are reasons to be cautious about interpreting the findings.In contrast with tests for active infection these tests detect antibodies the body creates after someone has been infected with the virus. So they should identify people who got sick and recovered from the disease covid-19 or who carried the virus but had no symptoms.In recent weeks in separate studies researchers have announced that roughly 2.5 to 4 percent of residents in Santa Clara County Calif. 3 to 6 percent of people in Los Angeles County 6 percent in Miami-Dade County and 14 percent across New York state have been infected at some point by the coronavirus. That last study estimated that as many as 1 in 5 residents of New York City had been infected.Unfortunately these new antibody tests can have high error rates and in the studies involving Los Angeles County Miami-Dade County and New York the full scientific reports are not yet available for scientists to review. The Santa Clara County study also came under criticism from other scholars for its methodology andstatistical analysis.What can we learn from these studies? First they reveal that even in the hardest-hit communities most people are still at risk of being infected by the virus. We are a long long way from developing 'herd immunity' � meaning that so many are immune that there are not enough susceptible people left for the virus to circulate. This would require at least 60 percent of the population to be infected. With low levels of immunity in the population if we lift restrictions on movement and 'reopen' the economy without proper precautions the coronavirus outbreak could again take off.Even more worrisome are some of the other conclusions that people are drawing from the results. Last month two Stanford Medicine professors who contributed to the Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties studies Eran Bendavid and Jay Bhattacharya wrote an opinion article in the Wall Street Journal titled 'Is the Coronavirus as Deadly as They Say?' They argued that previous overestimates of the death rate for coronavirus infection � now 'corrected' by the antibody studies � meant that massive shutdowns and stay-in place orders were likely excessive.It was already widely known however that we often only identify the most severe covid-19 cases through testing swab samples. Early (rough) estimates are that a quarter or even as many as half of infections have no symptoms at all those would be totally missed as well. The current official tally in Santa Clara County is 100 deaths and 2084 confirmed cases which would crudely suggest that 4.7 percent of cases are fatal. Naturally antibody tests can help us pin down the true death rate following infection by allowing us to include everyone even infections with no symptoms in the denominator. Based on the Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties studies' results only 0.1 to 0.2 percent of infections are fatal.It's unclear that this estimate will hold up to further scrutiny. Notably if the fatality rate were truly only 0.1 percent that implies that all 8 million people in New York City have already been infected � which seems unlikely. That supposition is also contradicted by the New York antibody test results which suggest that fatality rates there are closer to 0.5 or 1 percent. But even if the California numbers are accurate they in no way warrant a conclusion that shutdowns were an overreaction.If we know anything about this virus it is that it spreads easily. Unlike influenza there is virtually no population-level immunity meaning many more people can be infected millions in the United States alone. We also know that it overwhelms health-care systems. In New York City there have been more than 40000 hospitalizations and nearly 17000 deaths � and that follows the Italian catastrophe in which some hospitals including in the Lombardy region were reportedly forced to triage care choosing who would receive scarce ventilators.With the potential for huge numbers of people to be infected taking comfort in a lower death rate would be the wrong way to think about the results � and easing up efforts to blunt this deadly public health threat would be a serious mistake. We know firsthand that covid-19 can quickly spiral out of control in cities and entire regions of countries with devastating consequences. Preventing the disasters we've seen in Wuhan New York City and Lombardy must remain our first priority. Antibody studies alone cannot tell us if we are ready to reopen the economy. That will instead depend on our preparedness to test trace and isolate infected people so that we don't end up back where we started."";""Caitlin Rivers"";""John Hopkins University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"715;2020-04-30 12:00:00;137;""NO TIME FOR COMPLACENCY ANTIBODY TESTS SHOW WE''''RE NOWHERE NEAR HERD IMMUNITY"";""Natalie Dean Caitlin Rivers"";""Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"";"""";"""";""A wave of preliminary results of antibody tests is adding to our understanding of how the coronavirus is moving through the American population. But there are reasons to be cautious about interpreting the findings.In contrast with tests for active infection these tests detect antibodies the body creates after someone has been infected with the virus. So they should identify people who got sick and recovered or who carried the virus but had no symptoms.In recent weeks in separate studies researchers have announced that roughly 2.5% to 4% of residents in Santa Clara County Calif. 3% to 6% of people in Los Angeles County 6% in Miami-Dade County Fla. and 14% across New York state have been infected at some point by the coronavirus. That last study estimated that as many as 1 in 5 residents of New York City had been infected.Unfortunately these new antibody tests can have high error rates and in the studies involving Los Angeles County Miami-Dade and New York the full scientific reports are not yet available for scientists to review. The Santa Clara study also came under criticism from other scholars for its methodology and statistical analysis.What can we learn from these studies? First they reveal that even in the hardest-hit communities most people are still at risk of being infected by the virus. We are a long long way from developing 'herd immunity' - meaning that so many are immune that there are not enough susceptible people left for the virus to circulate. This would require at least 60% of the population to be infected. With low levels of immunity in the population if we lift restrictions on movement and 'reopen' the economy without proper precautions the outbreak could again take off.Even more worrisome are some of the other conclusions that people are drawing from the results. Last month two Stanford Medicine professors who contributed to the Santa Clara and Los Angeles County studies Eran Bendavid and Jay Bhattacharya wrote an opinion article in The Wall Street Journal titled 'Is the Coronavirus as Deadly as They Say?' They argued that previous overestimates of the death rate for coronavirus infection - now 'corrected' by the antibody studies - meant that massive shutdowns and stay-in place orders were likely excessive.It was already widely known however that we often identify only the most severe COVID-19 cases through testing swab samples. Early (rough) estimates are that a quarter or even as many as half of infections have no symptoms at all those would be totally missed as well. The current official tally in Santa Clara County is 100deaths and 2084 confirmed cases which would crudely suggest that 4.7% of cases are fatal. Naturally antibody tests can help us pin down the true death rate following infection by allowing us to include everyone even infections with no symptoms in the denominator. Based on the Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties study results only 0.1% to 0.2% of infections are fatal.It's unclear that this estimate will hold up to further scrutiny. Notably if the fatality rate were truly only 0.1% that implies that all 8 million people in New York City have already been infected - which seems unlikely. That supposition is also contradicted by the New York antibody test results which suggest that fatality rates there are closer to 0.5% or 1%. But even if the California numbers are accurate they in no way warrant a conclusion that shutdowns were an overreaction.If we know anything about this virus it is that it spreads easily. Unlike influenza there is virtually no population-level immunity meaning many more people can be infected millions in the United States alone.With the potential for huge numbers of people to be infected taking comfort in a lower death rate would be the wrong way to think about the results - and easing up efforts to blunt this deadly public health threat would be a serious mistake. We know firsthand that COVID-19 can quickly spiral out of control in cities and entire regions of countries with devastating consequences. Preventing the disasters we've seen in Wuhan New York City and Lombardy must remain our first priority. Antibody studies alone cannot tell us if we are ready to reopen the economy. That will instead depend on our preparedness to test trace and isolate infected people so that we don't end up back where we started."";""Natalie Dean"";""University of Florida"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"716;2020-04-30 12:00:00;137;""NO TIME FOR COMPLACENCY ANTIBODY TESTS SHOW WE''''RE NOWHERE NEAR HERD IMMUNITY"";""Natalie Dean Caitlin Rivers"";""Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"";"""";"""";""A wave of preliminary results of antibody tests is adding to our understanding of how the coronavirus is moving through the American population. But there are reasons to be cautious about interpreting the findings.In contrast with tests for active infection these tests detect antibodies the body creates after someone has been infected with the virus. So they should identify people who got sick and recovered or who carried the virus but had no symptoms.In recent weeks in separate studies researchers have announced that roughly 2.5% to 4% of residents in Santa Clara County Calif. 3% to 6% of people in Los Angeles County 6% in Miami-Dade County Fla. and 14% across New York state have been infected at some point by the coronavirus. That last study estimated that as many as 1 in 5 residents of New York City had been infected.Unfortunately these new antibody tests can have high error rates and in the studies involving Los Angeles County Miami-Dade and New York the full scientific reports are not yet available for scientists to review. The Santa Clara study also came under criticism from other scholars for its methodology and statistical analysis.What can we learn from these studies? First they reveal that even in the hardest-hit communities most people are still at risk of being infected by the virus. We are a long long way from developing 'herd immunity' - meaning that so many are immune that there are not enough susceptible people left for the virus to circulate. This would require at least 60% of the population to be infected. With low levels of immunity in the population if we lift restrictions on movement and 'reopen' the economy without proper precautions the outbreak could again take off.Even more worrisome are some of the other conclusions that people are drawing from the results. Last month two Stanford Medicine professors who contributed to the Santa Clara and Los Angeles County studies Eran Bendavid and Jay Bhattacharya wrote an opinion article in The Wall Street Journal titled 'Is the Coronavirus as Deadly as They Say?' They argued that previous overestimates of the death rate for coronavirus infection - now 'corrected' by the antibody studies - meant that massive shutdowns and stay-in place orders were likely excessive.It was already widely known however that we often identify only the most severe COVID-19 cases through testing swab samples. Early (rough) estimates are that a quarter or even as many as half of infections have no symptoms at all those would be totally missed as well. The current official tally in Santa Clara County is 100deaths and 2084 confirmed cases which would crudely suggest that 4.7% of cases are fatal. Naturally antibody tests can help us pin down the true death rate following infection by allowing us to include everyone even infections with no symptoms in the denominator. Based on the Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties study results only 0.1% to 0.2% of infections are fatal.It's unclear that this estimate will hold up to further scrutiny. Notably if the fatality rate were truly only 0.1% that implies that all 8 million people in New York City have already been infected - which seems unlikely. That supposition is also contradicted by the New York antibody test results which suggest that fatality rates there are closer to 0.5% or 1%. But even if the California numbers are accurate they in no way warrant a conclusion that shutdowns were an overreaction.If we know anything about this virus it is that it spreads easily. Unlike influenza there is virtually no population-level immunity meaning many more people can be infected millions in the United States alone.With the potential for huge numbers of people to be infected taking comfort in a lower death rate would be the wrong way to think about the results - and easing up efforts to blunt this deadly public health threat would be a serious mistake. We know firsthand that COVID-19 can quickly spiral out of control in cities and entire regions of countries with devastating consequences. Preventing the disasters we've seen in Wuhan New York City and Lombardy must remain our first priority. Antibody studies alone cannot tell us if we are ready to reopen the economy. That will instead depend on our preparedness to test trace and isolate infected people so that we don't end up back where we started."";""Natalie Dean"";""University of Florida"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"717;2020-04-30 12:00:00;137;""NO TIME FOR COMPLACENCY ANTIBODY TESTS SHOW WE''''RE NOWHERE NEAR HERD IMMUNITY"";""Natalie Dean Caitlin Rivers"";""Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"";"""";"""";""A wave of preliminary results of antibody tests is adding to our understanding of how the coronavirus is moving through the American population. But there are reasons to be cautious about interpreting the findings.In contrast with tests for active infection these tests detect antibodies the body creates after someone has been infected with the virus. So they should identify people who got sick and recovered or who carried the virus but had no symptoms.In recent weeks in separate studies researchers have announced that roughly 2.5% to 4% of residents in Santa Clara County Calif. 3% to 6% of people in Los Angeles County 6% in Miami-Dade County Fla. and 14% across New York state have been infected at some point by the coronavirus. That last study estimated that as many as 1 in 5 residents of New York City had been infected.Unfortunately these new antibody tests can have high error rates and in the studies involving Los Angeles County Miami-Dade and New York the full scientific reports are not yet available for scientists to review. The Santa Clara study also came under criticism from other scholars for its methodology and statistical analysis.What can we learn from these studies? First they reveal that even in the hardest-hit communities most people are still at risk of being infected by the virus. We are a long long way from developing 'herd immunity' - meaning that so many are immune that there are not enough susceptible people left for the virus to circulate. This would require at least 60% of the population to be infected. With low levels of immunity in the population if we lift restrictions on movement and 'reopen' the economy without proper precautions the outbreak could again take off.Even more worrisome are some of the other conclusions that people are drawing from the results. Last month two Stanford Medicine professors who contributed to the Santa Clara and Los Angeles County studies Eran Bendavid and Jay Bhattacharya wrote an opinion article in The Wall Street Journal titled 'Is the Coronavirus as Deadly as They Say?' They argued that previous overestimates of the death rate for coronavirus infection - now 'corrected' by the antibody studies - meant that massive shutdowns and stay-in place orders were likely excessive.It was already widely known however that we often identify only the most severe COVID-19 cases through testing swab samples. Early (rough) estimates are that a quarter or even as many as half of infections have no symptoms at all those would be totally missed as well. The current official tally in Santa Clara County is 100deaths and 2084 confirmed cases which would crudely suggest that 4.7% of cases are fatal. Naturally antibody tests can help us pin down the true death rate following infection by allowing us to include everyone even infections with no symptoms in the denominator. Based on the Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties study results only 0.1% to 0.2% of infections are fatal.It's unclear that this estimate will hold up to further scrutiny. Notably if the fatality rate were truly only 0.1% that implies that all 8 million people in New York City have already been infected - which seems unlikely. That supposition is also contradicted by the New York antibody test results which suggest that fatality rates there are closer to 0.5% or 1%. But even if the California numbers are accurate they in no way warrant a conclusion that shutdowns were an overreaction.If we know anything about this virus it is that it spreads easily. Unlike influenza there is virtually no population-level immunity meaning many more people can be infected millions in the United States alone.With the potential for huge numbers of people to be infected taking comfort in a lower death rate would be the wrong way to think about the results - and easing up efforts to blunt this deadly public health threat would be a serious mistake. We know firsthand that COVID-19 can quickly spiral out of control in cities and entire regions of countries with devastating consequences. Preventing the disasters we've seen in Wuhan New York City and Lombardy must remain our first priority. Antibody studies alone cannot tell us if we are ready to reopen the economy. That will instead depend on our preparedness to test trace and isolate infected people so that we don't end up back where we started."";""Caitlin Rivers"";""John Hopkins University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"718;2020-04-30 12:00:00;137;""NO TIME FOR COMPLACENCY ANTIBODY TESTS SHOW WE''''RE NOWHERE NEAR HERD IMMUNITY"";""Natalie Dean Caitlin Rivers"";""Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"";"""";"""";""A wave of preliminary results of antibody tests is adding to our understanding of how the coronavirus is moving through the American population. But there are reasons to be cautious about interpreting the findings.In contrast with tests for active infection these tests detect antibodies the body creates after someone has been infected with the virus. So they should identify people who got sick and recovered or who carried the virus but had no symptoms.In recent weeks in separate studies researchers have announced that roughly 2.5% to 4% of residents in Santa Clara County Calif. 3% to 6% of people in Los Angeles County 6% in Miami-Dade County Fla. and 14% across New York state have been infected at some point by the coronavirus. That last study estimated that as many as 1 in 5 residents of New York City had been infected.Unfortunately these new antibody tests can have high error rates and in the studies involving Los Angeles County Miami-Dade and New York the full scientific reports are not yet available for scientists to review. The Santa Clara study also came under criticism from other scholars for its methodology and statistical analysis.What can we learn from these studies? First they reveal that even in the hardest-hit communities most people are still at risk of being infected by the virus. We are a long long way from developing 'herd immunity' - meaning that so many are immune that there are not enough susceptible people left for the virus to circulate. This would require at least 60% of the population to be infected. With low levels of immunity in the population if we lift restrictions on movement and 'reopen' the economy without proper precautions the outbreak could again take off.Even more worrisome are some of the other conclusions that people are drawing from the results. Last month two Stanford Medicine professors who contributed to the Santa Clara and Los Angeles County studies Eran Bendavid and Jay Bhattacharya wrote an opinion article in The Wall Street Journal titled 'Is the Coronavirus as Deadly as They Say?' They argued that previous overestimates of the death rate for coronavirus infection - now 'corrected' by the antibody studies - meant that massive shutdowns and stay-in place orders were likely excessive.It was already widely known however that we often identify only the most severe COVID-19 cases through testing swab samples. Early (rough) estimates are that a quarter or even as many as half of infections have no symptoms at all those would be totally missed as well. The current official tally in Santa Clara County is 100deaths and 2084 confirmed cases which would crudely suggest that 4.7% of cases are fatal. Naturally antibody tests can help us pin down the true death rate following infection by allowing us to include everyone even infections with no symptoms in the denominator. Based on the Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties study results only 0.1% to 0.2% of infections are fatal.It's unclear that this estimate will hold up to further scrutiny. Notably if the fatality rate were truly only 0.1% that implies that all 8 million people in New York City have already been infected - which seems unlikely. That supposition is also contradicted by the New York antibody test results which suggest that fatality rates there are closer to 0.5% or 1%. But even if the California numbers are accurate they in no way warrant a conclusion that shutdowns were an overreaction.If we know anything about this virus it is that it spreads easily. Unlike influenza there is virtually no population-level immunity meaning many more people can be infected millions in the United States alone.With the potential for huge numbers of people to be infected taking comfort in a lower death rate would be the wrong way to think about the results - and easing up efforts to blunt this deadly public health threat would be a serious mistake. We know firsthand that COVID-19 can quickly spiral out of control in cities and entire regions of countries with devastating consequences. Preventing the disasters we've seen in Wuhan New York City and Lombardy must remain our first priority. Antibody studies alone cannot tell us if we are ready to reopen the economy. That will instead depend on our preparedness to test trace and isolate infected people so that we don't end up back where we started."";""Caitlin Rivers"";""John Hopkins University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"711;2020-05-01 12:00:00;136;""What the Proponents of �Natural�� Herd Immunity Don��t Say"";""Carl Bergstrom Natalie Dean"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Try to reach it without a vaccine and millions will die. The coronavirus moved so rapidly across the globe partly because no one had prior immunity to it. Failure to check its spread will result in a catastrophic loss of lives. Yet some politicians  epidemiologists and commentators are advising that the most practical course of action is to manage infections while allowing so- called herd immunity to build.The concept of herd immunity is typically described in the context of a vaccine. When enough people are vaccinated a pathogen cannot spread easily through the population. If you are infected with measles but everyone you interact with has been vaccinated transmission will be stopped in its tracks.Vaccination levels must stay above a threshold that depends upon the transmissibility of the pathogen. We dont yet know exactly how transmissible the coronavirus is but say each person infects an average of three others. That would mean nearly two-thirds of the population would need to be immune to confer herd immunity.In the absence of a vaccine developing immunity to a disease like Covid-19 requires actually being infected with the coronavirus. For this to work prior infection has to confer immunity against future infection. While hopeful scientists are not yet certain that this is the case nor do they know how long this immunity might last. The virus was discovered only a few months ago.But even assuming that immunity is long-lasting a very large number of people must be infected to reach the herd immunity threshold required. Given that current estimates suggest roughly 0.5 percent to 1 percent of all infections are fatal that means a lot of deaths.Perhaps most important to understand the virus doesnt magically disappear when the herd immunity threshold is reached. Thats not when things stop � its only when they start to slow down.Once enough immunity has been built in the population each person will infect fewer than one other person so a new epidemic cannot start afresh. But an epidemic that is already underway will continue to spread. If 100000 people are infectious at the peak and they each infect 0.9 people thats still 90000 new infections and more after that. A runaway train doesnt stop the instant the track begins to slope uphill and a rapidly spreading virus doesnt stop right when herd immunity is attained.If the pandemic went uncontrolled in the United States it could continue for months after herd immunity was reached infecting many more millions in the process.By the time the epidemic ended a very large proportion of the population would have been infected � far above our expected herd immunity threshold of around two-thirds. These additional infections are what epidemiologists refer to as overshoot.�Some countries are attempting strategies intended to safely� build up population immunity to the coronavirus without a vaccine. Sweden for instance  is asking older people and those with underlying health issues to self-quarantine but is keeping many schools restaurants and bars open. Many commentators have suggested that this would also be a good policy for poorer countries like India. But given the fatality rate there is no way to do this without huge numbers of casualties � and indeed Sweden has already seen far more deaths than its neighbors.As we see it now is far too early to throw up our hands and proceed as if a vast majority of the worlds population will inevitably become infected before a vaccine becomes available.Moreover we should not be overconfident about our ability to conduct a controlled burn� with a pandemic that exploded across the globe in a matter of weeks despite extraordinary efforts to contain it.Since the early days of the pandemic we have been using social distancing to flatten its curve. This decreases strain on the health care system. It buys the scientific community time to develop treatments and vaccines as well as build up capacity for testing and tracing. While this is an extraordinarily difficult virus to manage countries such as New Zealand and Taiwan have had early success challenging the narrative that control is impossible. We must learn from their successes.There would be nothing quick or painless about reaching herd immunity without a vaccine."";""Carl Bergstrom"";""University of Washington"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"712;2020-05-01 12:00:00;136;""What the Proponents of �Natural�� Herd Immunity Don��t Say"";""Carl Bergstrom Natalie Dean"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Try to reach it without a vaccine and millions will die. The coronavirus moved so rapidly across the globe partly because no one had prior immunity to it. Failure to check its spread will result in a catastrophic loss of lives. Yet some politicians  epidemiologists and commentators are advising that the most practical course of action is to manage infections while allowing so- called herd immunity to build.The concept of herd immunity is typically described in the context of a vaccine. When enough people are vaccinated a pathogen cannot spread easily through the population. If you are infected with measles but everyone you interact with has been vaccinated transmission will be stopped in its tracks.Vaccination levels must stay above a threshold that depends upon the transmissibility of the pathogen. We dont yet know exactly how transmissible the coronavirus is but say each person infects an average of three others. That would mean nearly two-thirds of the population would need to be immune to confer herd immunity.In the absence of a vaccine developing immunity to a disease like Covid-19 requires actually being infected with the coronavirus. For this to work prior infection has to confer immunity against future infection. While hopeful scientists are not yet certain that this is the case nor do they know how long this immunity might last. The virus was discovered only a few months ago.But even assuming that immunity is long-lasting a very large number of people must be infected to reach the herd immunity threshold required. Given that current estimates suggest roughly 0.5 percent to 1 percent of all infections are fatal that means a lot of deaths.Perhaps most important to understand the virus doesnt magically disappear when the herd immunity threshold is reached. Thats not when things stop � its only when they start to slow down.Once enough immunity has been built in the population each person will infect fewer than one other person so a new epidemic cannot start afresh. But an epidemic that is already underway will continue to spread. If 100000 people are infectious at the peak and they each infect 0.9 people thats still 90000 new infections and more after that. A runaway train doesnt stop the instant the track begins to slope uphill and a rapidly spreading virus doesnt stop right when herd immunity is attained.If the pandemic went uncontrolled in the United States it could continue for months after herd immunity was reached infecting many more millions in the process.By the time the epidemic ended a very large proportion of the population would have been infected � far above our expected herd immunity threshold of around two-thirds. These additional infections are what epidemiologists refer to as overshoot.�Some countries are attempting strategies intended to safely� build up population immunity to the coronavirus without a vaccine. Sweden for instance  is asking older people and those with underlying health issues to self-quarantine but is keeping many schools restaurants and bars open. Many commentators have suggested that this would also be a good policy for poorer countries like India. But given the fatality rate there is no way to do this without huge numbers of casualties � and indeed Sweden has already seen far more deaths than its neighbors.As we see it now is far too early to throw up our hands and proceed as if a vast majority of the worlds population will inevitably become infected before a vaccine becomes available.Moreover we should not be overconfident about our ability to conduct a controlled burn� with a pandemic that exploded across the globe in a matter of weeks despite extraordinary efforts to contain it.Since the early days of the pandemic we have been using social distancing to flatten its curve. This decreases strain on the health care system. It buys the scientific community time to develop treatments and vaccines as well as build up capacity for testing and tracing. While this is an extraordinarily difficult virus to manage countries such as New Zealand and Taiwan have had early success challenging the narrative that control is impossible. We must learn from their successes.There would be nothing quick or painless about reaching herd immunity without a vaccine."";""Carl Bergstrom"";""University of Washington"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"713;2020-05-01 12:00:00;136;""What the Proponents of �Natural�� Herd Immunity Don��t Say"";""Carl Bergstrom Natalie Dean"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Try to reach it without a vaccine and millions will die. The coronavirus moved so rapidly across the globe partly because no one had prior immunity to it. Failure to check its spread will result in a catastrophic loss of lives. Yet some politicians  epidemiologists and commentators are advising that the most practical course of action is to manage infections while allowing so- called herd immunity to build.The concept of herd immunity is typically described in the context of a vaccine. When enough people are vaccinated a pathogen cannot spread easily through the population. If you are infected with measles but everyone you interact with has been vaccinated transmission will be stopped in its tracks.Vaccination levels must stay above a threshold that depends upon the transmissibility of the pathogen. We dont yet know exactly how transmissible the coronavirus is but say each person infects an average of three others. That would mean nearly two-thirds of the population would need to be immune to confer herd immunity.In the absence of a vaccine developing immunity to a disease like Covid-19 requires actually being infected with the coronavirus. For this to work prior infection has to confer immunity against future infection. While hopeful scientists are not yet certain that this is the case nor do they know how long this immunity might last. The virus was discovered only a few months ago.But even assuming that immunity is long-lasting a very large number of people must be infected to reach the herd immunity threshold required. Given that current estimates suggest roughly 0.5 percent to 1 percent of all infections are fatal that means a lot of deaths.Perhaps most important to understand the virus doesnt magically disappear when the herd immunity threshold is reached. Thats not when things stop � its only when they start to slow down.Once enough immunity has been built in the population each person will infect fewer than one other person so a new epidemic cannot start afresh. But an epidemic that is already underway will continue to spread. If 100000 people are infectious at the peak and they each infect 0.9 people thats still 90000 new infections and more after that. A runaway train doesnt stop the instant the track begins to slope uphill and a rapidly spreading virus doesnt stop right when herd immunity is attained.If the pandemic went uncontrolled in the United States it could continue for months after herd immunity was reached infecting many more millions in the process.By the time the epidemic ended a very large proportion of the population would have been infected � far above our expected herd immunity threshold of around two-thirds. These additional infections are what epidemiologists refer to as overshoot.�Some countries are attempting strategies intended to safely� build up population immunity to the coronavirus without a vaccine. Sweden for instance  is asking older people and those with underlying health issues to self-quarantine but is keeping many schools restaurants and bars open. Many commentators have suggested that this would also be a good policy for poorer countries like India. But given the fatality rate there is no way to do this without huge numbers of casualties � and indeed Sweden has already seen far more deaths than its neighbors.As we see it now is far too early to throw up our hands and proceed as if a vast majority of the worlds population will inevitably become infected before a vaccine becomes available.Moreover we should not be overconfident about our ability to conduct a controlled burn� with a pandemic that exploded across the globe in a matter of weeks despite extraordinary efforts to contain it.Since the early days of the pandemic we have been using social distancing to flatten its curve. This decreases strain on the health care system. It buys the scientific community time to develop treatments and vaccines as well as build up capacity for testing and tracing. While this is an extraordinarily difficult virus to manage countries such as New Zealand and Taiwan have had early success challenging the narrative that control is impossible. We must learn from their successes.There would be nothing quick or painless about reaching herd immunity without a vaccine."";""Natalie Dean"";""University of Florida"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"714;2020-05-01 12:00:00;136;""What the Proponents of �Natural�� Herd Immunity Don��t Say"";""Carl Bergstrom Natalie Dean"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Try to reach it without a vaccine and millions will die. The coronavirus moved so rapidly across the globe partly because no one had prior immunity to it. Failure to check its spread will result in a catastrophic loss of lives. Yet some politicians  epidemiologists and commentators are advising that the most practical course of action is to manage infections while allowing so- called herd immunity to build.The concept of herd immunity is typically described in the context of a vaccine. When enough people are vaccinated a pathogen cannot spread easily through the population. If you are infected with measles but everyone you interact with has been vaccinated transmission will be stopped in its tracks.Vaccination levels must stay above a threshold that depends upon the transmissibility of the pathogen. We dont yet know exactly how transmissible the coronavirus is but say each person infects an average of three others. That would mean nearly two-thirds of the population would need to be immune to confer herd immunity.In the absence of a vaccine developing immunity to a disease like Covid-19 requires actually being infected with the coronavirus. For this to work prior infection has to confer immunity against future infection. While hopeful scientists are not yet certain that this is the case nor do they know how long this immunity might last. The virus was discovered only a few months ago.But even assuming that immunity is long-lasting a very large number of people must be infected to reach the herd immunity threshold required. Given that current estimates suggest roughly 0.5 percent to 1 percent of all infections are fatal that means a lot of deaths.Perhaps most important to understand the virus doesnt magically disappear when the herd immunity threshold is reached. Thats not when things stop � its only when they start to slow down.Once enough immunity has been built in the population each person will infect fewer than one other person so a new epidemic cannot start afresh. But an epidemic that is already underway will continue to spread. If 100000 people are infectious at the peak and they each infect 0.9 people thats still 90000 new infections and more after that. A runaway train doesnt stop the instant the track begins to slope uphill and a rapidly spreading virus doesnt stop right when herd immunity is attained.If the pandemic went uncontrolled in the United States it could continue for months after herd immunity was reached infecting many more millions in the process.By the time the epidemic ended a very large proportion of the population would have been infected � far above our expected herd immunity threshold of around two-thirds. These additional infections are what epidemiologists refer to as overshoot.�Some countries are attempting strategies intended to safely� build up population immunity to the coronavirus without a vaccine. Sweden for instance  is asking older people and those with underlying health issues to self-quarantine but is keeping many schools restaurants and bars open. Many commentators have suggested that this would also be a good policy for poorer countries like India. But given the fatality rate there is no way to do this without huge numbers of casualties � and indeed Sweden has already seen far more deaths than its neighbors.As we see it now is far too early to throw up our hands and proceed as if a vast majority of the worlds population will inevitably become infected before a vaccine becomes available.Moreover we should not be overconfident about our ability to conduct a controlled burn� with a pandemic that exploded across the globe in a matter of weeks despite extraordinary efforts to contain it.Since the early days of the pandemic we have been using social distancing to flatten its curve. This decreases strain on the health care system. It buys the scientific community time to develop treatments and vaccines as well as build up capacity for testing and tracing. While this is an extraordinarily difficult virus to manage countries such as New Zealand and Taiwan have had early success challenging the narrative that control is impossible. We must learn from their successes.There would be nothing quick or painless about reaching herd immunity without a vaccine."";""Natalie Dean"";""University of Florida"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"698;2020-05-04 12:00:00;134;""Coronavirus and the Sweden Myth"";""Ian Bremmer Cliff Kupchan Scott Rosenstein"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""  The countrys approach to the pandemic sets a seductive example. But the United States shouldnt copy it.For countries battling the coronavirus pandemic Sweden sets a seductive example. While the worlds biggest economies have shut down one small well- governed Scandinavian country has allowed most businesses to stay open. The strategy apparently relies on herd immunity� in which a critical mass of infection occurs in lower-risk populations that ultimately thwarts transmission.But the reality is not so simple for Sweden. Government authorities there seem to be for this strategy then against it then for it again if the data look promising. And its dangerous to assume that even if the strategy works in Sweden it will work elsewhere. Leaders are grasping for strategies in a time of great uncertainty � but the Swedish model should be approached with caution.In Sweden business is not actually proceeding as usual. Most travel and mass gatherings are not allowed and some schools have been closed. But restrictions from government are considerably less severe than many other countries. Restaurants and bars are still functioning some of them only with minimal distancing taking place.The results have been mixed. Sweden has the highest fatalities and case count per capita in Scandinavia but is lower than some of its neighbors to the south. Economic disruption has been significant but not as debilitating as in other countries. In the capital Stockholmthe nations top infectious disease official recently estimated that approximately 25 percent of the population has developed antibodies.It is too early to tell whether the approach has worked. Stockholm isnt all of Sweden. And 25 percent of its population with antibodies is not cause for an immunity celebration. We dont know if that percentage is accurate because the data isnt available the antibody tests still appear to be of uncertain accuracy and we dont even know what a positive antibody test means. There is some optimism that most people who are infected will have some temporary immunity. But if immunity is short-lived and only present in some individuals that already uncertain 25 percent becomes even less compelling. We also still dont know what total population percentage would be necessary to reach the herd immunity goal. It could be as high as 80 percent of the population.Even if we had perfect knowledge of the Swedish case there are huge risks with copying the strategy in a country like the United States. The American people are far less healthy than Swedes. They have significantly higher rates of diabetes and hypertension two of the most-risky underlying conditions. Four out of every 10 Americans are obese. A herd immunity strategy in America would mean that many of these people would be on some form of lockdown for many more weeks most likely months.Moreover the Sweden example demonstrates that a targeted herd immunity strategy doesnt do much to protect at-risk populations either. Deaths among the elderly in Sweden have been painfully high. In a more densely populated country like the United States and with a larger proportion of vulnerable people the human toll of a herd immunity strategy could be devastating.But what about the economy? The choice is not between indefinite shutdown and Russian roulette. A transition needs to occur that balances the risks at play. From that perspective Sweden is the future. But not because of a herd immunity strategy. Because a more targeted approach to social distancing can be deployed when the timing calls for it when old-fashioned public health methods can foster a gradual easing of restrictions in a way that can be tweaked as we learn more and develop new tools � treatments understanding of immunity testing improvements and epidemiological data.The key will be for countries not to let their guard down too soon. They must roll out a testing and contact-tracing infrastructure that will allow them to identify outbreaks early and isolate and quarantine as necessary. In the United States this is a realistic goal if theres enough political willpower fiscal firepower and coordination. These things � not Swedens experience � should guide our next steps."";""Ian Bremmer"";""Eurasia Group"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Business""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"699;2020-05-04 12:00:00;134;""Coronavirus and the Sweden Myth"";""Ian Bremmer Cliff Kupchan Scott Rosenstein"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""  The countrys approach to the pandemic sets a seductive example. But the United States shouldnt copy it.For countries battling the coronavirus pandemic Sweden sets a seductive example. While the worlds biggest economies have shut down one small well- governed Scandinavian country has allowed most businesses to stay open. The strategy apparently relies on herd immunity� in which a critical mass of infection occurs in lower-risk populations that ultimately thwarts transmission.But the reality is not so simple for Sweden. Government authorities there seem to be for this strategy then against it then for it again if the data look promising. And its dangerous to assume that even if the strategy works in Sweden it will work elsewhere. Leaders are grasping for strategies in a time of great uncertainty � but the Swedish model should be approached with caution.In Sweden business is not actually proceeding as usual. Most travel and mass gatherings are not allowed and some schools have been closed. But restrictions from government are considerably less severe than many other countries. Restaurants and bars are still functioning some of them only with minimal distancing taking place.The results have been mixed. Sweden has the highest fatalities and case count per capita in Scandinavia but is lower than some of its neighbors to the south. Economic disruption has been significant but not as debilitating as in other countries. In the capital Stockholmthe nations top infectious disease official recently estimated that approximately 25 percent of the population has developed antibodies.It is too early to tell whether the approach has worked. Stockholm isnt all of Sweden. And 25 percent of its population with antibodies is not cause for an immunity celebration. We dont know if that percentage is accurate because the data isnt available the antibody tests still appear to be of uncertain accuracy and we dont even know what a positive antibody test means. There is some optimism that most people who are infected will have some temporary immunity. But if immunity is short-lived and only present in some individuals that already uncertain 25 percent becomes even less compelling. We also still dont know what total population percentage would be necessary to reach the herd immunity goal. It could be as high as 80 percent of the population.Even if we had perfect knowledge of the Swedish case there are huge risks with copying the strategy in a country like the United States. The American people are far less healthy than Swedes. They have significantly higher rates of diabetes and hypertension two of the most-risky underlying conditions. Four out of every 10 Americans are obese. A herd immunity strategy in America would mean that many of these people would be on some form of lockdown for many more weeks most likely months.Moreover the Sweden example demonstrates that a targeted herd immunity strategy doesnt do much to protect at-risk populations either. Deaths among the elderly in Sweden have been painfully high. In a more densely populated country like the United States and with a larger proportion of vulnerable people the human toll of a herd immunity strategy could be devastating.But what about the economy? The choice is not between indefinite shutdown and Russian roulette. A transition needs to occur that balances the risks at play. From that perspective Sweden is the future. But not because of a herd immunity strategy. Because a more targeted approach to social distancing can be deployed when the timing calls for it when old-fashioned public health methods can foster a gradual easing of restrictions in a way that can be tweaked as we learn more and develop new tools � treatments understanding of immunity testing improvements and epidemiological data.The key will be for countries not to let their guard down too soon. They must roll out a testing and contact-tracing infrastructure that will allow them to identify outbreaks early and isolate and quarantine as necessary. In the United States this is a realistic goal if theres enough political willpower fiscal firepower and coordination. These things � not Swedens experience � should guide our next steps."";""Ian Bremmer"";""Eurasia Group"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Business""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"700;2020-05-04 12:00:00;134;""Coronavirus and the Sweden Myth"";""Ian Bremmer Cliff Kupchan Scott Rosenstein"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""  The countrys approach to the pandemic sets a seductive example. But the United States shouldnt copy it.For countries battling the coronavirus pandemic Sweden sets a seductive example. While the worlds biggest economies have shut down one small well- governed Scandinavian country has allowed most businesses to stay open. The strategy apparently relies on herd immunity� in which a critical mass of infection occurs in lower-risk populations that ultimately thwarts transmission.But the reality is not so simple for Sweden. Government authorities there seem to be for this strategy then against it then for it again if the data look promising. And its dangerous to assume that even if the strategy works in Sweden it will work elsewhere. Leaders are grasping for strategies in a time of great uncertainty � but the Swedish model should be approached with caution.In Sweden business is not actually proceeding as usual. Most travel and mass gatherings are not allowed and some schools have been closed. But restrictions from government are considerably less severe than many other countries. Restaurants and bars are still functioning some of them only with minimal distancing taking place.The results have been mixed. Sweden has the highest fatalities and case count per capita in Scandinavia but is lower than some of its neighbors to the south. Economic disruption has been significant but not as debilitating as in other countries. In the capital Stockholmthe nations top infectious disease official recently estimated that approximately 25 percent of the population has developed antibodies.It is too early to tell whether the approach has worked. Stockholm isnt all of Sweden. And 25 percent of its population with antibodies is not cause for an immunity celebration. We dont know if that percentage is accurate because the data isnt available the antibody tests still appear to be of uncertain accuracy and we dont even know what a positive antibody test means. There is some optimism that most people who are infected will have some temporary immunity. But if immunity is short-lived and only present in some individuals that already uncertain 25 percent becomes even less compelling. We also still dont know what total population percentage would be necessary to reach the herd immunity goal. It could be as high as 80 percent of the population.Even if we had perfect knowledge of the Swedish case there are huge risks with copying the strategy in a country like the United States. The American people are far less healthy than Swedes. They have significantly higher rates of diabetes and hypertension two of the most-risky underlying conditions. Four out of every 10 Americans are obese. A herd immunity strategy in America would mean that many of these people would be on some form of lockdown for many more weeks most likely months.Moreover the Sweden example demonstrates that a targeted herd immunity strategy doesnt do much to protect at-risk populations either. Deaths among the elderly in Sweden have been painfully high. In a more densely populated country like the United States and with a larger proportion of vulnerable people the human toll of a herd immunity strategy could be devastating.But what about the economy? The choice is not between indefinite shutdown and Russian roulette. A transition needs to occur that balances the risks at play. From that perspective Sweden is the future. But not because of a herd immunity strategy. Because a more targeted approach to social distancing can be deployed when the timing calls for it when old-fashioned public health methods can foster a gradual easing of restrictions in a way that can be tweaked as we learn more and develop new tools � treatments understanding of immunity testing improvements and epidemiological data.The key will be for countries not to let their guard down too soon. They must roll out a testing and contact-tracing infrastructure that will allow them to identify outbreaks early and isolate and quarantine as necessary. In the United States this is a realistic goal if theres enough political willpower fiscal firepower and coordination. These things � not Swedens experience � should guide our next steps."";""Ian Bremmer"";""Eurasia Group"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Business""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"701;2020-05-04 12:00:00;134;""Coronavirus and the Sweden Myth"";""Ian Bremmer Cliff Kupchan Scott Rosenstein"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""  The countrys approach to the pandemic sets a seductive example. But the United States shouldnt copy it.For countries battling the coronavirus pandemic Sweden sets a seductive example. While the worlds biggest economies have shut down one small well- governed Scandinavian country has allowed most businesses to stay open. The strategy apparently relies on herd immunity� in which a critical mass of infection occurs in lower-risk populations that ultimately thwarts transmission.But the reality is not so simple for Sweden. Government authorities there seem to be for this strategy then against it then for it again if the data look promising. And its dangerous to assume that even if the strategy works in Sweden it will work elsewhere. Leaders are grasping for strategies in a time of great uncertainty � but the Swedish model should be approached with caution.In Sweden business is not actually proceeding as usual. Most travel and mass gatherings are not allowed and some schools have been closed. But restrictions from government are considerably less severe than many other countries. Restaurants and bars are still functioning some of them only with minimal distancing taking place.The results have been mixed. Sweden has the highest fatalities and case count per capita in Scandinavia but is lower than some of its neighbors to the south. Economic disruption has been significant but not as debilitating as in other countries. In the capital Stockholmthe nations top infectious disease official recently estimated that approximately 25 percent of the population has developed antibodies.It is too early to tell whether the approach has worked. Stockholm isnt all of Sweden. And 25 percent of its population with antibodies is not cause for an immunity celebration. We dont know if that percentage is accurate because the data isnt available the antibody tests still appear to be of uncertain accuracy and we dont even know what a positive antibody test means. There is some optimism that most people who are infected will have some temporary immunity. But if immunity is short-lived and only present in some individuals that already uncertain 25 percent becomes even less compelling. We also still dont know what total population percentage would be necessary to reach the herd immunity goal. It could be as high as 80 percent of the population.Even if we had perfect knowledge of the Swedish case there are huge risks with copying the strategy in a country like the United States. The American people are far less healthy than Swedes. They have significantly higher rates of diabetes and hypertension two of the most-risky underlying conditions. Four out of every 10 Americans are obese. A herd immunity strategy in America would mean that many of these people would be on some form of lockdown for many more weeks most likely months.Moreover the Sweden example demonstrates that a targeted herd immunity strategy doesnt do much to protect at-risk populations either. Deaths among the elderly in Sweden have been painfully high. In a more densely populated country like the United States and with a larger proportion of vulnerable people the human toll of a herd immunity strategy could be devastating.But what about the economy? The choice is not between indefinite shutdown and Russian roulette. A transition needs to occur that balances the risks at play. From that perspective Sweden is the future. But not because of a herd immunity strategy. Because a more targeted approach to social distancing can be deployed when the timing calls for it when old-fashioned public health methods can foster a gradual easing of restrictions in a way that can be tweaked as we learn more and develop new tools � treatments understanding of immunity testing improvements and epidemiological data.The key will be for countries not to let their guard down too soon. They must roll out a testing and contact-tracing infrastructure that will allow them to identify outbreaks early and isolate and quarantine as necessary. In the United States this is a realistic goal if theres enough political willpower fiscal firepower and coordination. These things � not Swedens experience � should guide our next steps."";""Cliff Kupchan"";""Eurasia Group"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Business""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"702;2020-05-04 12:00:00;134;""Coronavirus and the Sweden Myth"";""Ian Bremmer Cliff Kupchan Scott Rosenstein"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""  The countrys approach to the pandemic sets a seductive example. But the United States shouldnt copy it.For countries battling the coronavirus pandemic Sweden sets a seductive example. While the worlds biggest economies have shut down one small well- governed Scandinavian country has allowed most businesses to stay open. The strategy apparently relies on herd immunity� in which a critical mass of infection occurs in lower-risk populations that ultimately thwarts transmission.But the reality is not so simple for Sweden. Government authorities there seem to be for this strategy then against it then for it again if the data look promising. And its dangerous to assume that even if the strategy works in Sweden it will work elsewhere. Leaders are grasping for strategies in a time of great uncertainty � but the Swedish model should be approached with caution.In Sweden business is not actually proceeding as usual. Most travel and mass gatherings are not allowed and some schools have been closed. But restrictions from government are considerably less severe than many other countries. Restaurants and bars are still functioning some of them only with minimal distancing taking place.The results have been mixed. Sweden has the highest fatalities and case count per capita in Scandinavia but is lower than some of its neighbors to the south. Economic disruption has been significant but not as debilitating as in other countries. In the capital Stockholmthe nations top infectious disease official recently estimated that approximately 25 percent of the population has developed antibodies.It is too early to tell whether the approach has worked. Stockholm isnt all of Sweden. And 25 percent of its population with antibodies is not cause for an immunity celebration. We dont know if that percentage is accurate because the data isnt available the antibody tests still appear to be of uncertain accuracy and we dont even know what a positive antibody test means. There is some optimism that most people who are infected will have some temporary immunity. But if immunity is short-lived and only present in some individuals that already uncertain 25 percent becomes even less compelling. We also still dont know what total population percentage would be necessary to reach the herd immunity goal. It could be as high as 80 percent of the population.Even if we had perfect knowledge of the Swedish case there are huge risks with copying the strategy in a country like the United States. The American people are far less healthy than Swedes. They have significantly higher rates of diabetes and hypertension two of the most-risky underlying conditions. Four out of every 10 Americans are obese. A herd immunity strategy in America would mean that many of these people would be on some form of lockdown for many more weeks most likely months.Moreover the Sweden example demonstrates that a targeted herd immunity strategy doesnt do much to protect at-risk populations either. Deaths among the elderly in Sweden have been painfully high. In a more densely populated country like the United States and with a larger proportion of vulnerable people the human toll of a herd immunity strategy could be devastating.But what about the economy? The choice is not between indefinite shutdown and Russian roulette. A transition needs to occur that balances the risks at play. From that perspective Sweden is the future. But not because of a herd immunity strategy. Because a more targeted approach to social distancing can be deployed when the timing calls for it when old-fashioned public health methods can foster a gradual easing of restrictions in a way that can be tweaked as we learn more and develop new tools � treatments understanding of immunity testing improvements and epidemiological data.The key will be for countries not to let their guard down too soon. They must roll out a testing and contact-tracing infrastructure that will allow them to identify outbreaks early and isolate and quarantine as necessary. In the United States this is a realistic goal if theres enough political willpower fiscal firepower and coordination. These things � not Swedens experience � should guide our next steps."";""Cliff Kupchan"";""Eurasia Group"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Business""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"703;2020-05-04 12:00:00;134;""Coronavirus and the Sweden Myth"";""Ian Bremmer Cliff Kupchan Scott Rosenstein"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""  The countrys approach to the pandemic sets a seductive example. But the United States shouldnt copy it.For countries battling the coronavirus pandemic Sweden sets a seductive example. While the worlds biggest economies have shut down one small well- governed Scandinavian country has allowed most businesses to stay open. The strategy apparently relies on herd immunity� in which a critical mass of infection occurs in lower-risk populations that ultimately thwarts transmission.But the reality is not so simple for Sweden. Government authorities there seem to be for this strategy then against it then for it again if the data look promising. And its dangerous to assume that even if the strategy works in Sweden it will work elsewhere. Leaders are grasping for strategies in a time of great uncertainty � but the Swedish model should be approached with caution.In Sweden business is not actually proceeding as usual. Most travel and mass gatherings are not allowed and some schools have been closed. But restrictions from government are considerably less severe than many other countries. Restaurants and bars are still functioning some of them only with minimal distancing taking place.The results have been mixed. Sweden has the highest fatalities and case count per capita in Scandinavia but is lower than some of its neighbors to the south. Economic disruption has been significant but not as debilitating as in other countries. In the capital Stockholmthe nations top infectious disease official recently estimated that approximately 25 percent of the population has developed antibodies.It is too early to tell whether the approach has worked. Stockholm isnt all of Sweden. And 25 percent of its population with antibodies is not cause for an immunity celebration. We dont know if that percentage is accurate because the data isnt available the antibody tests still appear to be of uncertain accuracy and we dont even know what a positive antibody test means. There is some optimism that most people who are infected will have some temporary immunity. But if immunity is short-lived and only present in some individuals that already uncertain 25 percent becomes even less compelling. We also still dont know what total population percentage would be necessary to reach the herd immunity goal. It could be as high as 80 percent of the population.Even if we had perfect knowledge of the Swedish case there are huge risks with copying the strategy in a country like the United States. The American people are far less healthy than Swedes. They have significantly higher rates of diabetes and hypertension two of the most-risky underlying conditions. Four out of every 10 Americans are obese. A herd immunity strategy in America would mean that many of these people would be on some form of lockdown for many more weeks most likely months.Moreover the Sweden example demonstrates that a targeted herd immunity strategy doesnt do much to protect at-risk populations either. Deaths among the elderly in Sweden have been painfully high. In a more densely populated country like the United States and with a larger proportion of vulnerable people the human toll of a herd immunity strategy could be devastating.But what about the economy? The choice is not between indefinite shutdown and Russian roulette. A transition needs to occur that balances the risks at play. From that perspective Sweden is the future. But not because of a herd immunity strategy. Because a more targeted approach to social distancing can be deployed when the timing calls for it when old-fashioned public health methods can foster a gradual easing of restrictions in a way that can be tweaked as we learn more and develop new tools � treatments understanding of immunity testing improvements and epidemiological data.The key will be for countries not to let their guard down too soon. They must roll out a testing and contact-tracing infrastructure that will allow them to identify outbreaks early and isolate and quarantine as necessary. In the United States this is a realistic goal if theres enough political willpower fiscal firepower and coordination. These things � not Swedens experience � should guide our next steps."";""Cliff Kupchan"";""Eurasia Group"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Business""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"704;2020-05-04 12:00:00;134;""Coronavirus and the Sweden Myth"";""Ian Bremmer Cliff Kupchan Scott Rosenstein"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""  The countrys approach to the pandemic sets a seductive example. But the United States shouldnt copy it.For countries battling the coronavirus pandemic Sweden sets a seductive example. While the worlds biggest economies have shut down one small well- governed Scandinavian country has allowed most businesses to stay open. The strategy apparently relies on herd immunity� in which a critical mass of infection occurs in lower-risk populations that ultimately thwarts transmission.But the reality is not so simple for Sweden. Government authorities there seem to be for this strategy then against it then for it again if the data look promising. And its dangerous to assume that even if the strategy works in Sweden it will work elsewhere. Leaders are grasping for strategies in a time of great uncertainty � but the Swedish model should be approached with caution.In Sweden business is not actually proceeding as usual. Most travel and mass gatherings are not allowed and some schools have been closed. But restrictions from government are considerably less severe than many other countries. Restaurants and bars are still functioning some of them only with minimal distancing taking place.The results have been mixed. Sweden has the highest fatalities and case count per capita in Scandinavia but is lower than some of its neighbors to the south. Economic disruption has been significant but not as debilitating as in other countries. In the capital Stockholmthe nations top infectious disease official recently estimated that approximately 25 percent of the population has developed antibodies.It is too early to tell whether the approach has worked. Stockholm isnt all of Sweden. And 25 percent of its population with antibodies is not cause for an immunity celebration. We dont know if that percentage is accurate because the data isnt available the antibody tests still appear to be of uncertain accuracy and we dont even know what a positive antibody test means. There is some optimism that most people who are infected will have some temporary immunity. But if immunity is short-lived and only present in some individuals that already uncertain 25 percent becomes even less compelling. We also still dont know what total population percentage would be necessary to reach the herd immunity goal. It could be as high as 80 percent of the population.Even if we had perfect knowledge of the Swedish case there are huge risks with copying the strategy in a country like the United States. The American people are far less healthy than Swedes. They have significantly higher rates of diabetes and hypertension two of the most-risky underlying conditions. Four out of every 10 Americans are obese. A herd immunity strategy in America would mean that many of these people would be on some form of lockdown for many more weeks most likely months.Moreover the Sweden example demonstrates that a targeted herd immunity strategy doesnt do much to protect at-risk populations either. Deaths among the elderly in Sweden have been painfully high. In a more densely populated country like the United States and with a larger proportion of vulnerable people the human toll of a herd immunity strategy could be devastating.But what about the economy? The choice is not between indefinite shutdown and Russian roulette. A transition needs to occur that balances the risks at play. From that perspective Sweden is the future. But not because of a herd immunity strategy. Because a more targeted approach to social distancing can be deployed when the timing calls for it when old-fashioned public health methods can foster a gradual easing of restrictions in a way that can be tweaked as we learn more and develop new tools � treatments understanding of immunity testing improvements and epidemiological data.The key will be for countries not to let their guard down too soon. They must roll out a testing and contact-tracing infrastructure that will allow them to identify outbreaks early and isolate and quarantine as necessary. In the United States this is a realistic goal if theres enough political willpower fiscal firepower and coordination. These things � not Swedens experience � should guide our next steps."";""Scott Rosenstein"";""Eurasia Group"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Business""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"705;2020-05-04 12:00:00;134;""Coronavirus and the Sweden Myth"";""Ian Bremmer Cliff Kupchan Scott Rosenstein"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""  The countrys approach to the pandemic sets a seductive example. But the United States shouldnt copy it.For countries battling the coronavirus pandemic Sweden sets a seductive example. While the worlds biggest economies have shut down one small well- governed Scandinavian country has allowed most businesses to stay open. The strategy apparently relies on herd immunity� in which a critical mass of infection occurs in lower-risk populations that ultimately thwarts transmission.But the reality is not so simple for Sweden. Government authorities there seem to be for this strategy then against it then for it again if the data look promising. And its dangerous to assume that even if the strategy works in Sweden it will work elsewhere. Leaders are grasping for strategies in a time of great uncertainty � but the Swedish model should be approached with caution.In Sweden business is not actually proceeding as usual. Most travel and mass gatherings are not allowed and some schools have been closed. But restrictions from government are considerably less severe than many other countries. Restaurants and bars are still functioning some of them only with minimal distancing taking place.The results have been mixed. Sweden has the highest fatalities and case count per capita in Scandinavia but is lower than some of its neighbors to the south. Economic disruption has been significant but not as debilitating as in other countries. In the capital Stockholmthe nations top infectious disease official recently estimated that approximately 25 percent of the population has developed antibodies.It is too early to tell whether the approach has worked. Stockholm isnt all of Sweden. And 25 percent of its population with antibodies is not cause for an immunity celebration. We dont know if that percentage is accurate because the data isnt available the antibody tests still appear to be of uncertain accuracy and we dont even know what a positive antibody test means. There is some optimism that most people who are infected will have some temporary immunity. But if immunity is short-lived and only present in some individuals that already uncertain 25 percent becomes even less compelling. We also still dont know what total population percentage would be necessary to reach the herd immunity goal. It could be as high as 80 percent of the population.Even if we had perfect knowledge of the Swedish case there are huge risks with copying the strategy in a country like the United States. The American people are far less healthy than Swedes. They have significantly higher rates of diabetes and hypertension two of the most-risky underlying conditions. Four out of every 10 Americans are obese. A herd immunity strategy in America would mean that many of these people would be on some form of lockdown for many more weeks most likely months.Moreover the Sweden example demonstrates that a targeted herd immunity strategy doesnt do much to protect at-risk populations either. Deaths among the elderly in Sweden have been painfully high. In a more densely populated country like the United States and with a larger proportion of vulnerable people the human toll of a herd immunity strategy could be devastating.But what about the economy? The choice is not between indefinite shutdown and Russian roulette. A transition needs to occur that balances the risks at play. From that perspective Sweden is the future. But not because of a herd immunity strategy. Because a more targeted approach to social distancing can be deployed when the timing calls for it when old-fashioned public health methods can foster a gradual easing of restrictions in a way that can be tweaked as we learn more and develop new tools � treatments understanding of immunity testing improvements and epidemiological data.The key will be for countries not to let their guard down too soon. They must roll out a testing and contact-tracing infrastructure that will allow them to identify outbreaks early and isolate and quarantine as necessary. In the United States this is a realistic goal if theres enough political willpower fiscal firepower and coordination. These things � not Swedens experience � should guide our next steps."";""Scott Rosenstein"";""Eurasia Group"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Business""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"706;2020-05-04 12:00:00;134;""Coronavirus and the Sweden Myth"";""Ian Bremmer Cliff Kupchan Scott Rosenstein"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""  The countrys approach to the pandemic sets a seductive example. But the United States shouldnt copy it.For countries battling the coronavirus pandemic Sweden sets a seductive example. While the worlds biggest economies have shut down one small well- governed Scandinavian country has allowed most businesses to stay open. The strategy apparently relies on herd immunity� in which a critical mass of infection occurs in lower-risk populations that ultimately thwarts transmission.But the reality is not so simple for Sweden. Government authorities there seem to be for this strategy then against it then for it again if the data look promising. And its dangerous to assume that even if the strategy works in Sweden it will work elsewhere. Leaders are grasping for strategies in a time of great uncertainty � but the Swedish model should be approached with caution.In Sweden business is not actually proceeding as usual. Most travel and mass gatherings are not allowed and some schools have been closed. But restrictions from government are considerably less severe than many other countries. Restaurants and bars are still functioning some of them only with minimal distancing taking place.The results have been mixed. Sweden has the highest fatalities and case count per capita in Scandinavia but is lower than some of its neighbors to the south. Economic disruption has been significant but not as debilitating as in other countries. In the capital Stockholmthe nations top infectious disease official recently estimated that approximately 25 percent of the population has developed antibodies.It is too early to tell whether the approach has worked. Stockholm isnt all of Sweden. And 25 percent of its population with antibodies is not cause for an immunity celebration. We dont know if that percentage is accurate because the data isnt available the antibody tests still appear to be of uncertain accuracy and we dont even know what a positive antibody test means. There is some optimism that most people who are infected will have some temporary immunity. But if immunity is short-lived and only present in some individuals that already uncertain 25 percent becomes even less compelling. We also still dont know what total population percentage would be necessary to reach the herd immunity goal. It could be as high as 80 percent of the population.Even if we had perfect knowledge of the Swedish case there are huge risks with copying the strategy in a country like the United States. The American people are far less healthy than Swedes. They have significantly higher rates of diabetes and hypertension two of the most-risky underlying conditions. Four out of every 10 Americans are obese. A herd immunity strategy in America would mean that many of these people would be on some form of lockdown for many more weeks most likely months.Moreover the Sweden example demonstrates that a targeted herd immunity strategy doesnt do much to protect at-risk populations either. Deaths among the elderly in Sweden have been painfully high. In a more densely populated country like the United States and with a larger proportion of vulnerable people the human toll of a herd immunity strategy could be devastating.But what about the economy? The choice is not between indefinite shutdown and Russian roulette. A transition needs to occur that balances the risks at play. From that perspective Sweden is the future. But not because of a herd immunity strategy. Because a more targeted approach to social distancing can be deployed when the timing calls for it when old-fashioned public health methods can foster a gradual easing of restrictions in a way that can be tweaked as we learn more and develop new tools � treatments understanding of immunity testing improvements and epidemiological data.The key will be for countries not to let their guard down too soon. They must roll out a testing and contact-tracing infrastructure that will allow them to identify outbreaks early and isolate and quarantine as necessary. In the United States this is a realistic goal if theres enough political willpower fiscal firepower and coordination. These things � not Swedens experience � should guide our next steps."";""Scott Rosenstein"";""Eurasia Group"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Business""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"707;2020-05-04 12:00:00;135;""The Facts On Herd Immunity"";""Carl Bergstrom Natalie Dean"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""Try to reach it without a vaccine and millions will die. The coronavirus moved so rapidly across the globe partly because no one had prior immunity to it. Failure to check its spread will result in a catastrophic loss of lives. Yet some politicians epidemiologists and commentators are advising that the most practical course of action is to manage infections while allowing so-called herd immunity to build.The concept of herd immunity is typically described in the context of a vaccine. When enough people are vaccinated a pathogen cannot spread easily through the population. If you are infected with measles but everyone you interact with has been vaccinated transmission will be stopped in its tracks.Vaccination levels must stay above a threshold that depends upon the transmissibility of the pathogen. We don't yet know exactly how transmissible the coronavirus is but say each person infects an average of three others. That would mean nearly two-thirds of the population would need to be immune to confer herd immunity.In the absence of a vaccine developing immunity to a disease like Covid-19 requires actually being infected with the coronavirus. For this to work prior infection has to confer immunity against future infection. While hopeful scientists are not yet certain that this is the case nor do they know how long this immunity might last. The virus was discovered only a few months ago.But even assuming that immunity is long-lasting a very large number of people must be infected to reach the herd immunity threshold required. Given that current estimates suggest roughly 0.5 percent to 1 percent of all infections are fatal that means a lot of deaths.Perhaps most important to understand the virus doesn't magically disappear when the herd immunity threshold is reached. That's not when things stop -- it's only when they start to slow down.Once enough immunity has been built in the population each person will infect fewer than one other person so a new epidemic cannot start afresh. But an epidemic that is already underway will continue to spread. If 100000 people are infectious at the peak and they each infect 0.9 people that's still 90000 new infections and more after that. A runaway train doesn't stop the instant the track begins to slope uphill and a rapidly spreading virus doesn't stop right when herd immunity is attained.If the pandemic went uncontrolled in the United States it could continue for months after herd immunity was reached infecting many more millions in the process.By the time the epidemic ended a very large proportion of the population would have been infected -- far above our expected herd immunity threshold of around two-thirds. These additional infections are what epidemiologists refer to as ''overshoot.''Some countries are attempting strategies intended to ''safely'' build up population immunity to the coronavirus without a vaccine. Sweden for instance is asking older people and those with underlying health issues to self-quarantine but is keeping many schools restaurants and bars open. Many commentators have suggested that this would also be a good policy for poorer countries like India. But given the fatality rate there is no way to do this without huge numbers of casualties -- and indeed Sweden has already seen far more deaths than its neighbors.As we see it now is far too early to throw up our hands and proceed as if a vast majority of the world's population will inevitably become infected before a vaccine becomes available.Moreover we should not be overconfident about our ability to conduct a ''controlled burn'' with a pandemic that exploded across the globe in a matter of weeks despite extraordinary efforts to contain it.Since the early days of the pandemic we have been using social distancing to flatten its curve. This decreases strain on the health care system. It buys the scientific community time to develop treatments and vaccines as well as build up capacity for testing and tracing. While this is an extraordinarily difficult virus to manage countries such as New Zealand and Taiwan have had early success challenging the narrative that control is impossible. We must learn from their successes.There would be nothing quick or painless about reaching herd immunity without a vaccine."";""Carl Bergstrom"";""University of Washington"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"708;2020-05-04 12:00:00;135;""The Facts On Herd Immunity"";""Carl Bergstrom Natalie Dean"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""Try to reach it without a vaccine and millions will die. The coronavirus moved so rapidly across the globe partly because no one had prior immunity to it. Failure to check its spread will result in a catastrophic loss of lives. Yet some politicians epidemiologists and commentators are advising that the most practical course of action is to manage infections while allowing so-called herd immunity to build.The concept of herd immunity is typically described in the context of a vaccine. When enough people are vaccinated a pathogen cannot spread easily through the population. If you are infected with measles but everyone you interact with has been vaccinated transmission will be stopped in its tracks.Vaccination levels must stay above a threshold that depends upon the transmissibility of the pathogen. We don't yet know exactly how transmissible the coronavirus is but say each person infects an average of three others. That would mean nearly two-thirds of the population would need to be immune to confer herd immunity.In the absence of a vaccine developing immunity to a disease like Covid-19 requires actually being infected with the coronavirus. For this to work prior infection has to confer immunity against future infection. While hopeful scientists are not yet certain that this is the case nor do they know how long this immunity might last. The virus was discovered only a few months ago.But even assuming that immunity is long-lasting a very large number of people must be infected to reach the herd immunity threshold required. Given that current estimates suggest roughly 0.5 percent to 1 percent of all infections are fatal that means a lot of deaths.Perhaps most important to understand the virus doesn't magically disappear when the herd immunity threshold is reached. That's not when things stop -- it's only when they start to slow down.Once enough immunity has been built in the population each person will infect fewer than one other person so a new epidemic cannot start afresh. But an epidemic that is already underway will continue to spread. If 100000 people are infectious at the peak and they each infect 0.9 people that's still 90000 new infections and more after that. A runaway train doesn't stop the instant the track begins to slope uphill and a rapidly spreading virus doesn't stop right when herd immunity is attained.If the pandemic went uncontrolled in the United States it could continue for months after herd immunity was reached infecting many more millions in the process.By the time the epidemic ended a very large proportion of the population would have been infected -- far above our expected herd immunity threshold of around two-thirds. These additional infections are what epidemiologists refer to as ''overshoot.''Some countries are attempting strategies intended to ''safely'' build up population immunity to the coronavirus without a vaccine. Sweden for instance is asking older people and those with underlying health issues to self-quarantine but is keeping many schools restaurants and bars open. Many commentators have suggested that this would also be a good policy for poorer countries like India. But given the fatality rate there is no way to do this without huge numbers of casualties -- and indeed Sweden has already seen far more deaths than its neighbors.As we see it now is far too early to throw up our hands and proceed as if a vast majority of the world's population will inevitably become infected before a vaccine becomes available.Moreover we should not be overconfident about our ability to conduct a ''controlled burn'' with a pandemic that exploded across the globe in a matter of weeks despite extraordinary efforts to contain it.Since the early days of the pandemic we have been using social distancing to flatten its curve. This decreases strain on the health care system. It buys the scientific community time to develop treatments and vaccines as well as build up capacity for testing and tracing. While this is an extraordinarily difficult virus to manage countries such as New Zealand and Taiwan have had early success challenging the narrative that control is impossible. We must learn from their successes.There would be nothing quick or painless about reaching herd immunity without a vaccine."";""Carl Bergstrom"";""University of Washington"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"709;2020-05-04 12:00:00;135;""The Facts On Herd Immunity"";""Carl Bergstrom Natalie Dean"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""Try to reach it without a vaccine and millions will die. The coronavirus moved so rapidly across the globe partly because no one had prior immunity to it. Failure to check its spread will result in a catastrophic loss of lives. Yet some politicians epidemiologists and commentators are advising that the most practical course of action is to manage infections while allowing so-called herd immunity to build.The concept of herd immunity is typically described in the context of a vaccine. When enough people are vaccinated a pathogen cannot spread easily through the population. If you are infected with measles but everyone you interact with has been vaccinated transmission will be stopped in its tracks.Vaccination levels must stay above a threshold that depends upon the transmissibility of the pathogen. We don't yet know exactly how transmissible the coronavirus is but say each person infects an average of three others. That would mean nearly two-thirds of the population would need to be immune to confer herd immunity.In the absence of a vaccine developing immunity to a disease like Covid-19 requires actually being infected with the coronavirus. For this to work prior infection has to confer immunity against future infection. While hopeful scientists are not yet certain that this is the case nor do they know how long this immunity might last. The virus was discovered only a few months ago.But even assuming that immunity is long-lasting a very large number of people must be infected to reach the herd immunity threshold required. Given that current estimates suggest roughly 0.5 percent to 1 percent of all infections are fatal that means a lot of deaths.Perhaps most important to understand the virus doesn't magically disappear when the herd immunity threshold is reached. That's not when things stop -- it's only when they start to slow down.Once enough immunity has been built in the population each person will infect fewer than one other person so a new epidemic cannot start afresh. But an epidemic that is already underway will continue to spread. If 100000 people are infectious at the peak and they each infect 0.9 people that's still 90000 new infections and more after that. A runaway train doesn't stop the instant the track begins to slope uphill and a rapidly spreading virus doesn't stop right when herd immunity is attained.If the pandemic went uncontrolled in the United States it could continue for months after herd immunity was reached infecting many more millions in the process.By the time the epidemic ended a very large proportion of the population would have been infected -- far above our expected herd immunity threshold of around two-thirds. These additional infections are what epidemiologists refer to as ''overshoot.''Some countries are attempting strategies intended to ''safely'' build up population immunity to the coronavirus without a vaccine. Sweden for instance is asking older people and those with underlying health issues to self-quarantine but is keeping many schools restaurants and bars open. Many commentators have suggested that this would also be a good policy for poorer countries like India. But given the fatality rate there is no way to do this without huge numbers of casualties -- and indeed Sweden has already seen far more deaths than its neighbors.As we see it now is far too early to throw up our hands and proceed as if a vast majority of the world's population will inevitably become infected before a vaccine becomes available.Moreover we should not be overconfident about our ability to conduct a ''controlled burn'' with a pandemic that exploded across the globe in a matter of weeks despite extraordinary efforts to contain it.Since the early days of the pandemic we have been using social distancing to flatten its curve. This decreases strain on the health care system. It buys the scientific community time to develop treatments and vaccines as well as build up capacity for testing and tracing. While this is an extraordinarily difficult virus to manage countries such as New Zealand and Taiwan have had early success challenging the narrative that control is impossible. We must learn from their successes.There would be nothing quick or painless about reaching herd immunity without a vaccine."";""Natalie Dean"";""University of Florida"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"710;2020-05-04 12:00:00;135;""The Facts On Herd Immunity"";""Carl Bergstrom Natalie Dean"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""Try to reach it without a vaccine and millions will die. The coronavirus moved so rapidly across the globe partly because no one had prior immunity to it. Failure to check its spread will result in a catastrophic loss of lives. Yet some politicians epidemiologists and commentators are advising that the most practical course of action is to manage infections while allowing so-called herd immunity to build.The concept of herd immunity is typically described in the context of a vaccine. When enough people are vaccinated a pathogen cannot spread easily through the population. If you are infected with measles but everyone you interact with has been vaccinated transmission will be stopped in its tracks.Vaccination levels must stay above a threshold that depends upon the transmissibility of the pathogen. We don't yet know exactly how transmissible the coronavirus is but say each person infects an average of three others. That would mean nearly two-thirds of the population would need to be immune to confer herd immunity.In the absence of a vaccine developing immunity to a disease like Covid-19 requires actually being infected with the coronavirus. For this to work prior infection has to confer immunity against future infection. While hopeful scientists are not yet certain that this is the case nor do they know how long this immunity might last. The virus was discovered only a few months ago.But even assuming that immunity is long-lasting a very large number of people must be infected to reach the herd immunity threshold required. Given that current estimates suggest roughly 0.5 percent to 1 percent of all infections are fatal that means a lot of deaths.Perhaps most important to understand the virus doesn't magically disappear when the herd immunity threshold is reached. That's not when things stop -- it's only when they start to slow down.Once enough immunity has been built in the population each person will infect fewer than one other person so a new epidemic cannot start afresh. But an epidemic that is already underway will continue to spread. If 100000 people are infectious at the peak and they each infect 0.9 people that's still 90000 new infections and more after that. A runaway train doesn't stop the instant the track begins to slope uphill and a rapidly spreading virus doesn't stop right when herd immunity is attained.If the pandemic went uncontrolled in the United States it could continue for months after herd immunity was reached infecting many more millions in the process.By the time the epidemic ended a very large proportion of the population would have been infected -- far above our expected herd immunity threshold of around two-thirds. These additional infections are what epidemiologists refer to as ''overshoot.''Some countries are attempting strategies intended to ''safely'' build up population immunity to the coronavirus without a vaccine. Sweden for instance is asking older people and those with underlying health issues to self-quarantine but is keeping many schools restaurants and bars open. Many commentators have suggested that this would also be a good policy for poorer countries like India. But given the fatality rate there is no way to do this without huge numbers of casualties -- and indeed Sweden has already seen far more deaths than its neighbors.As we see it now is far too early to throw up our hands and proceed as if a vast majority of the world's population will inevitably become infected before a vaccine becomes available.Moreover we should not be overconfident about our ability to conduct a ''controlled burn'' with a pandemic that exploded across the globe in a matter of weeks despite extraordinary efforts to contain it.Since the early days of the pandemic we have been using social distancing to flatten its curve. This decreases strain on the health care system. It buys the scientific community time to develop treatments and vaccines as well as build up capacity for testing and tracing. While this is an extraordinarily difficult virus to manage countries such as New Zealand and Taiwan have had early success challenging the narrative that control is impossible. We must learn from their successes.There would be nothing quick or painless about reaching herd immunity without a vaccine."";""Natalie Dean"";""University of Florida"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"503;2020-05-07 12:00:00;133;""Herd immunity �not really a viable strategy�� in Alaska��s COVID-19 fight physicians say"";""Zaz Hollander"";""Anchorage Daily News"";"""";"""";""We want our numbers to go up� Erickson said. Wed like to get 80% of us exposed and immune before this fall when the flu season starts.�For young healthy people who arent in contact with high-risk patients its important for you to get this disease' he said urging anyone with symptoms to seek care and saying hopefully they would just get a very mild� case."";""Wade Erickson"";"""";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"504;2020-05-07 12:00:00;133;""Herd immunity �not really a viable strategy�� in Alaska��s COVID-19 fight physicians say"";""Zaz Hollander"";""Anchorage Daily News"";"""";"""";""We want our numbers to go up� Erickson said. Wed like to get 80% of us exposed and immune before this fall when the flu season starts.�For young healthy people who arent in contact with high-risk patients its important for you to get this disease' he said urging anyone with symptoms to seek care and saying hopefully they would just get a very mild� case."";""Wade Erickson"";"""";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"505;2020-05-07 12:00:00;133;""Herd immunity �not really a viable strategy�� in Alaska��s COVID-19 fight physicians say"";""Zaz Hollander"";""Anchorage Daily News"";"""";"""";""I think that to just say lets just build up herd immunity all at once puts us at real risk for really affecting a lot of Alaskans overwhelming our health care system affecting those who are young and healthy as well as those who are older and vulnerable� said Zink a former emergency department director at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center."";""Anne Zink"";""State of Alaska"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"506;2020-05-07 12:00:00;133;""Herd immunity �not really a viable strategy�� in Alaska��s COVID-19 fight physicians say"";""Zaz Hollander"";""Anchorage Daily News"";"""";"""";""I think that to just say lets just build up herd immunity all at once puts us at real risk for really affecting a lot of Alaskans overwhelming our health care system affecting those who are young and healthy as well as those who are older and vulnerable� said Zink a former emergency department director at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center."";""Anne Zink"";""State of Alaska"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"507;2020-05-07 12:00:00;133;""Herd immunity �not really a viable strategy�� in Alaska��s COVID-19 fight physicians say"";""Zaz Hollander"";""Anchorage Daily News"";"""";"""";""I think that to just say lets just build up herd immunity all at once puts us at real risk for really affecting a lot of Alaskans overwhelming our health care system affecting those who are young and healthy as well as those who are older and vulnerable� said Zink a former emergency department director at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center."";""Anne Zink"";""State of Alaska"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"508;2020-05-07 12:00:00;133;""Herd immunity �not really a viable strategy�� in Alaska��s COVID-19 fight physicians say"";""Zaz Hollander"";""Anchorage Daily News"";"""";"""";""We have some of the lowest incidence in the world' Quimby told reporters during a presentation Wednesday. This is not really a viable strategy.�The goal is to try to keep the incidence of the virus low by wearing face masks staying at least 6 feet away from people and washing hands he said.Asked if his comments Wednesday came in response to Ericksons the week before Quimby said no. Erickson well-known in the Valley medical community established the first drive-thru COVID-19 testing here.Dr. Erickson is a fantastic individual ... his clinic has stepped up� Quimby said.Instead he continued his comments were directed at what he called a really prevalent theme� arising around the country.Numerous prominent medical organizations including the World Health Organization Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Infectious DiseasesSociety of America have all said herd immunity is not something they want to promote Quimby said. We do want it but without a vaccine its not a safe or viable orprobably even a realistic option.� Erickson declined to comment when contacted Wednesday."";""Thomas Quimby"";""Mat-Su Regional Hospital"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"500;2020-05-20 12:00:00;130;""Fund manager who nailed recent bottom calls for �virus relief concerts�� where people intentionally get infected"";""Shawn Lanlois"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""The other: Herd immunity much like Sweden. We protect the vulnerable population and then allow and even encourage the rest of the population to get back to normal life� he wrote.Read:Why governments cant tell the truth about opening up � that many will dieSandler said that he envisions young and healthy people attending virus relief concerts� in hopes of getting the virus and then donating the antibodies to be used as a treatment or prophylactic.Either way he wants the bickering in the corridors of power to stop.A country that lets partisan politics get in the way of such an important decision risks the worst-case outcome� Sandler explained. In my mind the choice is obvious and clearly Plan B for so many reasons not the least of which is that it is the path least likely to lead to civil unrest.�He summed up his letter which was endorsed by about 100 small business owners with a Nelson Mandela quote: May your choices reflect your hope not your fears.�In the meantime he continues to manage his fund with a big dose of caution after calling the March bottom in a CNBC interview earlier this year.We have lost $10 trillion in market cap� due to the steep drop from February highs he said at the time. It is so far out of proportion I dont even want to talk aboutthe numbers.�Sandler reportedly lost billions in the initial crash before recovering a reasonable amount of our losses� when the market bounced off its March lows. Now hes on cautious footing.Tactically I think the stock market is somewhat overbought up here and is probably due for a correction� Sandler told MarketWatch. I do think though that the worst is behind us so I dont think we retest the lows when and if we have a pull back.�"";""Ricky Sandler"";""Eminence Capital"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Business""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"501;2020-05-20 12:00:00;130;""Fund manager who nailed recent bottom calls for �virus relief concerts�� where people intentionally get infected"";""Shawn Lanlois"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""The other: Herd immunity much like Sweden. We protect the vulnerable population and then allow and even encourage the rest of the population to get back to normal life� he wrote.Read:Why governments cant tell the truth about opening up � that many will dieSandler said that he envisions young and healthy people attending virus relief concerts� in hopes of getting the virus and then donating the antibodies to be used as a treatment or prophylactic.Either way he wants the bickering in the corridors of power to stop.A country that lets partisan politics get in the way of such an important decision risks the worst-case outcome� Sandler explained. In my mind the choice is obvious and clearly Plan B for so many reasons not the least of which is that it is the path least likely to lead to civil unrest.�He summed up his letter which was endorsed by about 100 small business owners with a Nelson Mandela quote: May your choices reflect your hope not your fears.�In the meantime he continues to manage his fund with a big dose of caution after calling the March bottom in a CNBC interview earlier this year.We have lost $10 trillion in market cap� due to the steep drop from February highs he said at the time. It is so far out of proportion I dont even want to talk aboutthe numbers.�Sandler reportedly lost billions in the initial crash before recovering a reasonable amount of our losses� when the market bounced off its March lows. Now hes on cautious footing.Tactically I think the stock market is somewhat overbought up here and is probably due for a correction� Sandler told MarketWatch. I do think though that the worst is behind us so I dont think we retest the lows when and if we have a pull back.�"";""Ricky Sandler"";""Eminence Capital"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Business""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"502;2020-05-20 12:00:00;130;""Fund manager who nailed recent bottom calls for �virus relief concerts�� where people intentionally get infected"";""Shawn Lanlois"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""The other: Herd immunity much like Sweden. We protect the vulnerable population and then allow and even encourage the rest of the population to get back to normal life� he wrote.Read:Why governments cant tell the truth about opening up � that many will dieSandler said that he envisions young and healthy people attending virus relief concerts� in hopes of getting the virus and then donating the antibodies to be used as a treatment or prophylactic.Either way he wants the bickering in the corridors of power to stop.A country that lets partisan politics get in the way of such an important decision risks the worst-case outcome� Sandler explained. In my mind the choice is obvious and clearly Plan B for so many reasons not the least of which is that it is the path least likely to lead to civil unrest.�He summed up his letter which was endorsed by about 100 small business owners with a Nelson Mandela quote: May your choices reflect your hope not your fears.�In the meantime he continues to manage his fund with a big dose of caution after calling the March bottom in a CNBC interview earlier this year.We have lost $10 trillion in market cap� due to the steep drop from February highs he said at the time. It is so far out of proportion I dont even want to talk aboutthe numbers.�Sandler reportedly lost billions in the initial crash before recovering a reasonable amount of our losses� when the market bounced off its March lows. Now hes on cautious footing.Tactically I think the stock market is somewhat overbought up here and is probably due for a correction� Sandler told MarketWatch. I do think though that the worst is behind us so I dont think we retest the lows when and if we have a pull back.�"";""Ricky Sandler"";""Eminence Capital"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Business""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"497;2020-05-22 12:00:00;129;""FAST TAKES"";""Unspecified"";""New York Post"";"""";"""";"" At RealClearPolitics Yinon Weiss outlines why the lockdowns 'may eventually be known as one of the biggest medical and economic blunders' ever. Sweden he notes 'never closed borders restaurants businesses or primary schools' yet warnings that the results would be horrific proved false: The IMHE model (often cited by the White House) predicted a daily death level at peak that proved four times higher than what Sweden actually saw. 'Sweden's short-term results are worse than Norway Finland and Denmark but better than the UK France Spain Italy and Belgium. Sweden likely also benefits from longer-term herd immunity faster economic �recovery and fewer deaths from lockdown collateral damage.' A more �'rational strategy' argues Weiss 'would have been to lock down nursing homes and let young healthy people out to build immunity.'"";""Yinon Weiss"";""RealClearPolitics"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"498;2020-05-22 12:00:00;129;""FAST TAKES"";""Unspecified"";""New York Post"";"""";"""";"" At RealClearPolitics Yinon Weiss outlines why the lockdowns 'may eventually be known as one of the biggest medical and economic blunders' ever. Sweden he notes 'never closed borders restaurants businesses or primary schools' yet warnings that the results would be horrific proved false: The IMHE model (often cited by the White House) predicted a daily death level at peak that proved four times higher than what Sweden actually saw. 'Sweden's short-term results are worse than Norway Finland and Denmark but better than the UK France Spain Italy and Belgium. Sweden likely also benefits from longer-term herd immunity faster economic �recovery and fewer deaths from lockdown collateral damage.' A more �'rational strategy' argues Weiss 'would have been to lock down nursing homes and let young healthy people out to build immunity.'"";""Yinon Weiss"";""RealClearPolitics"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"499;2020-05-22 12:00:00;129;""FAST TAKES"";""Unspecified"";""New York Post"";"""";"""";"" At RealClearPolitics Yinon Weiss outlines why the lockdowns 'may eventually be known as one of the biggest medical and economic blunders' ever. Sweden he notes 'never closed borders restaurants businesses or primary schools' yet warnings that the results would be horrific proved false: The IMHE model (often cited by the White House) predicted a daily death level at peak that proved four times higher than what Sweden actually saw. 'Sweden's short-term results are worse than Norway Finland and Denmark but better than the UK France Spain Italy and Belgium. Sweden likely also benefits from longer-term herd immunity faster economic �recovery and fewer deaths from lockdown collateral damage.' A more �'rational strategy' argues Weiss 'would have been to lock down nursing homes and let young healthy people out to build immunity.'"";""Yinon Weiss"";""RealClearPolitics"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"495;2020-05-28 12:00:00;128;""The World Is Still Far From Herd Immunity for Coronavirus"";""Nadja Popovich Margot Sanger-Katz"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""We dont have a good way to safely build it up to be honest not in the short term� Dr. Mina said. Unless were going to let the virus run rampant again � but I think society has decided that is not an approach available to us.�"";""Michael Mina"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"496;2020-05-28 12:00:00;128;""The World Is Still Far From Herd Immunity for Coronavirus"";""Nadja Popovich Margot Sanger-Katz"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""We dont have a good way to safely build it up to be honest not in the short term� Dr. Mina said. Unless were going to let the virus run rampant again � but I think society has decided that is not an approach available to us.�"";""Michael Mina"";""Harvard University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"492;2020-05-28 12:00:00;128;""The World Is Still Far From Herd Immunity for Coronavirus"";""Nadja Popovich Margot Sanger-Katz"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Would someone advise that people go through something like what New York went through?� said Natalie Dean an assistant professor of biostatistics at the University of Florida. Theres a lot of people who talk about this managed infection of young people but it just feels like hubris to think you can manage this virus. Its very hard to manage.�"";""Natalie Dean"";""University of Florida"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"493;2020-05-28 12:00:00;128;""The World Is Still Far From Herd Immunity for Coronavirus"";""Nadja Popovich Margot Sanger-Katz"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Would someone advise that people go through something like what New York went through?� said Natalie Dean an assistant professor of biostatistics at the University of Florida. Theres a lot of people who talk about this managed infection of young people but it just feels like hubris to think you can manage this virus. Its very hard to manage.�"";""Natalie Dean"";""University of Florida"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"494;2020-05-28 12:00:00;128;""The World Is Still Far From Herd Immunity for Coronavirus"";""Nadja Popovich Margot Sanger-Katz"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Would someone advise that people go through something like what New York went through?� said Natalie Dean an assistant professor of biostatistics at the University of Florida. Theres a lot of people who talk about this managed infection of young people but it just feels like hubris to think you can manage this virus. Its very hard to manage.�"";""Natalie Dean"";""University of Florida"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"487;2020-05-29 12:00:00;127;""In Battling Outbreak Herd Immunity Remains Distant Objective"";""Nadja Popovich Margot Sanger-Katz"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""Viewed together the studies show herd immunity protection is unlikely to be reached ''any time soon'' said Michael Mina an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.The herd immunity threshold for this new disease is still uncertain but many epidemiologists believe it will be reached when between 60 percent and 80 percent of the population has been infected and develops resistance. A lower level of immunity in the population can slow the spread of a disease somewhat but the herd immunity number represents the point where infections are substantially less likely to turn into large outbreaks.''We don't have a good way to safely build it up to be honest not in the short term'' Dr. Mina said. ''Unless we're going to let the virus run rampant again -- but I think society has decided that is not an approach available to us.''"";""Michael Mina"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"488;2020-05-29 12:00:00;127;""In Battling Outbreak Herd Immunity Remains Distant Objective"";""Nadja Popovich Margot Sanger-Katz"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""Viewed together the studies show herd immunity protection is unlikely to be reached ''any time soon'' said Michael Mina an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.The herd immunity threshold for this new disease is still uncertain but many epidemiologists believe it will be reached when between 60 percent and 80 percent of the population has been infected and develops resistance. A lower level of immunity in the population can slow the spread of a disease somewhat but the herd immunity number represents the point where infections are substantially less likely to turn into large outbreaks.''We don't have a good way to safely build it up to be honest not in the short term'' Dr. Mina said. ''Unless we're going to let the virus run rampant again -- but I think society has decided that is not an approach available to us.''"";""Michael Mina"";""Harvard University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"489;2020-05-29 12:00:00;127;""In Battling Outbreak Herd Immunity Remains Distant Objective"";""Nadja Popovich Margot Sanger-Katz"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""''Would someone advise that people go through something like what New York went through?'' said Natalie Dean an assistant professor of biostatistics at the University of Florida. ''There's a lot of people who talk about this managed infection of young people but it just feels like hubris to think you can manage this virus. It's very hard to manage.''"";""Natalie Dean"";""University of Florida"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"490;2020-05-29 12:00:00;127;""In Battling Outbreak Herd Immunity Remains Distant Objective"";""Nadja Popovich Margot Sanger-Katz"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""''Would someone advise that people go through something like what New York went through?'' said Natalie Dean an assistant professor of biostatistics at the University of Florida. ''There's a lot of people who talk about this managed infection of young people but it just feels like hubris to think you can manage this virus. It's very hard to manage.''"";""Natalie Dean"";""University of Florida"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"491;2020-05-29 12:00:00;127;""In Battling Outbreak Herd Immunity Remains Distant Objective"";""Nadja Popovich Margot Sanger-Katz"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""''Would someone advise that people go through something like what New York went through?'' said Natalie Dean an assistant professor of biostatistics at the University of Florida. ''There's a lot of people who talk about this managed infection of young people but it just feels like hubris to think you can manage this virus. It's very hard to manage.''"";""Natalie Dean"";""University of Florida"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"484;2020-07-07 12:00:00;126;""Rizzo: The road ahead requires not letting our guard down"";""Unspecified"";""Long Island Business News"";"""";"""";""As the coronavirus reignites across many states the wisdom of gradual reopening and public health precautions taken in New York New Jersey and Connecticut is increasingly apparent. No other approach besides wearing masks social distancing and regular hand washing has succeeded. Swedens open policy has failed to achieve herd immunity.As of the end of May just 6 percent of Swedens population had been infected far less than the spread of 40 percent that had been anticipated. And the early and aggressive reopening in states like Texas and Florida have been even worse. Record cases of coronavirus and hospitalizations are occurring and the threat that ICUs will be overwhelmed in these areas is very real.Now the Northeast is the only section of the country where cases are falling. The rise in coronavirus cases throughout much of the Unites States will lead not only to more deaths but to more economic damage. The Northeast has done what it can to prevent the carnage. But state economies are interdependent. On Long Island for example the summer tourism season is a major contributor to the economy. And as activity and travel is restricted in other states that will inevitably affect tourism on Long Island. Staycations by Long Islanders could offset anticipated reductions by out of region tourists.And the stock market which affects consumer confidence and spending will also feel increased pressure as the coronavirus spreads in other states. This too could restrict economic activity.Other states will need to follow New Yorks example in order to contain the virus. This will take at least two months even if they act quickly and aggressively to contain the virus. By then the flu season and a possible second wave of the coronavirus will be upon us.More economic stimulus will be essential to see us through this reemerging crisis. This includes critical aid to state governments and likely extending unemployment benefits and aid to small business. While there will difficult times ahead New York New Jersey and Connecticut provide a model showing that the virus can be contained and the economy can be re-opened.These goals need not be mutually exclusive. But we cant let our guard down and should continue wearing masks practicing social distancing and maintaining good hygiene or we will likely see spikes in infection rates that could lead to future shutdowns of parts of our economy."";""John Rizzo"";""Long Island Association"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Business""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"485;2020-07-07 12:00:00;126;""Rizzo: The road ahead requires not letting our guard down"";""Unspecified"";""Long Island Business News"";"""";"""";""As the coronavirus reignites across many states the wisdom of gradual reopening and public health precautions taken in New York New Jersey and Connecticut is increasingly apparent. No other approach besides wearing masks social distancing and regular hand washing has succeeded. Swedens open policy has failed to achieve herd immunity.As of the end of May just 6 percent of Swedens population had been infected far less than the spread of 40 percent that had been anticipated. And the early and aggressive reopening in states like Texas and Florida have been even worse. Record cases of coronavirus and hospitalizations are occurring and the threat that ICUs will be overwhelmed in these areas is very real.Now the Northeast is the only section of the country where cases are falling. The rise in coronavirus cases throughout much of the Unites States will lead not only to more deaths but to more economic damage. The Northeast has done what it can to prevent the carnage. But state economies are interdependent. On Long Island for example the summer tourism season is a major contributor to the economy. And as activity and travel is restricted in other states that will inevitably affect tourism on Long Island. Staycations by Long Islanders could offset anticipated reductions by out of region tourists.And the stock market which affects consumer confidence and spending will also feel increased pressure as the coronavirus spreads in other states. This too could restrict economic activity.Other states will need to follow New Yorks example in order to contain the virus. This will take at least two months even if they act quickly and aggressively to contain the virus. By then the flu season and a possible second wave of the coronavirus will be upon us.More economic stimulus will be essential to see us through this reemerging crisis. This includes critical aid to state governments and likely extending unemployment benefits and aid to small business. While there will difficult times ahead New York New Jersey and Connecticut provide a model showing that the virus can be contained and the economy can be re-opened.These goals need not be mutually exclusive. But we cant let our guard down and should continue wearing masks practicing social distancing and maintaining good hygiene or we will likely see spikes in infection rates that could lead to future shutdowns of parts of our economy."";""John Rizzo"";""Long Island Association"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Business""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"486;2020-07-07 12:00:00;126;""Rizzo: The road ahead requires not letting our guard down"";""Unspecified"";""Long Island Business News"";"""";"""";""As the coronavirus reignites across many states the wisdom of gradual reopening and public health precautions taken in New York New Jersey and Connecticut is increasingly apparent. No other approach besides wearing masks social distancing and regular hand washing has succeeded. Swedens open policy has failed to achieve herd immunity.As of the end of May just 6 percent of Swedens population had been infected far less than the spread of 40 percent that had been anticipated. And the early and aggressive reopening in states like Texas and Florida have been even worse. Record cases of coronavirus and hospitalizations are occurring and the threat that ICUs will be overwhelmed in these areas is very real.Now the Northeast is the only section of the country where cases are falling. The rise in coronavirus cases throughout much of the Unites States will lead not only to more deaths but to more economic damage. The Northeast has done what it can to prevent the carnage. But state economies are interdependent. On Long Island for example the summer tourism season is a major contributor to the economy. And as activity and travel is restricted in other states that will inevitably affect tourism on Long Island. Staycations by Long Islanders could offset anticipated reductions by out of region tourists.And the stock market which affects consumer confidence and spending will also feel increased pressure as the coronavirus spreads in other states. This too could restrict economic activity.Other states will need to follow New Yorks example in order to contain the virus. This will take at least two months even if they act quickly and aggressively to contain the virus. By then the flu season and a possible second wave of the coronavirus will be upon us.More economic stimulus will be essential to see us through this reemerging crisis. This includes critical aid to state governments and likely extending unemployment benefits and aid to small business. While there will difficult times ahead New York New Jersey and Connecticut provide a model showing that the virus can be contained and the economy can be re-opened.These goals need not be mutually exclusive. But we cant let our guard down and should continue wearing masks practicing social distancing and maintaining good hygiene or we will likely see spikes in infection rates that could lead to future shutdowns of parts of our economy."";""John Rizzo"";""Long Island Association"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";0;""Business""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"483;2020-07-11 12:00:00;125;""Low bug rate in city is not ''herd'': doc"";""Michael Gartland"";""New York Daily News"";"""";"""";""'It would be incorrect to attribute the current status of cases to immunity because there is a lot we don't know about immunity and there's also what we know which is that the vast majority of New Yorkers actually weren't infected' Jay Varma (inset) the mayor's senior adviser for public health said. The relatively low rate of infections makes herd immunity 'very unlikely' he added."";""Jay Varma"";""New York City"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"481;2020-07-14 12:00:00;124;""Convention fight Great White isolation island: News from around our 50 states"";""Unspecified"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Im not as concerned so much as the number of cases in fact quite honestly I want to see more people because we start reaching an immunity as more people have it and get through it�"";""Del Marsh"";""Alabama State Government"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"482;2020-07-14 12:00:00;124;""Convention fight Great White isolation island: News from around our 50 states"";""Unspecified"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Im not as concerned so much as the number of cases in fact quite honestly I want to see more people because we start reaching an immunity as more people have it and get through it�"";""Del Marsh"";""Alabama State Government"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"478;2020-07-15 12:00:00;123;""Expecting herd immunity is unethical"";""Jordan Singleton"";""Deseret News"";"""";"""";"" I am a concerned physician about the misinformation resulting from guest opinions in the Deseret News. A recent article titled 'We are seeing spikes in COVID-19 cases. That might not be a bad thing' (July 8) can do terrible harm to our pandemic response. Social media now has several people in our communities justifying careless behavior based on this article. One can cite any fatality rate they wish but the statistics that matter are that every place with large spikes in cases quickly sees its hospital systems become overwhelmed with the sick and dying. Articles like this are a huge slap in the face to health care workers families personally affected by this virus or other patients needing hospital care. Our collective safety is put in danger by the aftermath of these spikes. We already have 130000 dead and millions of hospitalizations in this country from this virus and a respected newspaper is printing opinion articles that suggest new infections are a good thing. There is no developed country in the world allowing natural herd immunity to this virus. The cost of human lives is unacceptable and herd immunity without a vaccine may not even be achievable. Polio smallpox measles and other viruses never truly seemed to reach herd immunity status before vaccines. Transmission would sometimes wane and then come roaring back. Without vaccines obtaining lasting herd immunity to virulent viruses does not come easy. Natural herd immunity appears even more implausible when we consider that even the most affected countries from COVID-19 are still nowhere near herd immunity. For instance Spain was especially affected by the early pandemic. It had close to 30000 deaths in a short period of time and had several of its hospitals completely overwhelmed. Recent antibody testing has shown Spain still only has 5% immunity. Even Stockholm Sweden which initially had a more relaxed approach only has 7% immunity. At this pace it will take several years if not a decade to reach herd immunity without a vaccine - and immunity may not last that long without a vaccine booster. However the mere suggestion that we attempt natural herd immunity is highly unethical since we have learned that the spread of the virus can be limited. Japan had 197 new cases on July 9 in its entire country. It has a population of 126.5 million. Utah had around 850 new cases on that same day in spite of having a population of only 3.2 million. In fact there is no developed country in the world that comes close to what is happening here right now in terms of cases per capita. Places like Japan are proving that deaths and hospitalizations from this virus can become avoidable if we simply start to wear masks inside public areas avoid gatherings where people aren't wearing masks continue to practice hand hygiene limit the size of our social bubble and continue our contact tracing efforts. Those celebrating new infections as bringing us closer to herd immunity are celebrating a possibility that doesn't likely exist without a vaccine. Since big bumps in new infections also tend to bring new deaths new hospitalizations missed time from work and business closures - in a sense - they are only celebrating tragedy in our communities. There are currently several vaccines in the final phases of trials for this virus. The odds are becoming very realistic that we will have a safe and effective vaccine within nine months. Surely we can make some small sacrifices for a little longer and see if science provides a solution as it has with countless other infectious diseases. I can't tell you how difficult it is to tell someone's family that their loved one has died. We are losing beloved parents grandparents siblings and friends but it doesn't have to be this way. We need to have a paradigm shift and start recognizing that contracting the virus could become mostly avoidable if we come together and start taking precautions. Again these spikes in new cases can be avoided. Each life is precious to someone and pushing for herd immunity via new infections seems either naively misinformed or grossly misanthropic. "";""Jordan Singleton"";"""";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"479;2020-07-15 12:00:00;123;""Expecting herd immunity is unethical"";""Jordan Singleton"";""Deseret News"";"""";"""";"" I am a concerned physician about the misinformation resulting from guest opinions in the Deseret News. A recent article titled 'We are seeing spikes in COVID-19 cases. That might not be a bad thing' (July 8) can do terrible harm to our pandemic response. Social media now has several people in our communities justifying careless behavior based on this article. One can cite any fatality rate they wish but the statistics that matter are that every place with large spikes in cases quickly sees its hospital systems become overwhelmed with the sick and dying. Articles like this are a huge slap in the face to health care workers families personally affected by this virus or other patients needing hospital care. Our collective safety is put in danger by the aftermath of these spikes. We already have 130000 dead and millions of hospitalizations in this country from this virus and a respected newspaper is printing opinion articles that suggest new infections are a good thing. There is no developed country in the world allowing natural herd immunity to this virus. The cost of human lives is unacceptable and herd immunity without a vaccine may not even be achievable. Polio smallpox measles and other viruses never truly seemed to reach herd immunity status before vaccines. Transmission would sometimes wane and then come roaring back. Without vaccines obtaining lasting herd immunity to virulent viruses does not come easy. Natural herd immunity appears even more implausible when we consider that even the most affected countries from COVID-19 are still nowhere near herd immunity. For instance Spain was especially affected by the early pandemic. It had close to 30000 deaths in a short period of time and had several of its hospitals completely overwhelmed. Recent antibody testing has shown Spain still only has 5% immunity. Even Stockholm Sweden which initially had a more relaxed approach only has 7% immunity. At this pace it will take several years if not a decade to reach herd immunity without a vaccine - and immunity may not last that long without a vaccine booster. However the mere suggestion that we attempt natural herd immunity is highly unethical since we have learned that the spread of the virus can be limited. Japan had 197 new cases on July 9 in its entire country. It has a population of 126.5 million. Utah had around 850 new cases on that same day in spite of having a population of only 3.2 million. In fact there is no developed country in the world that comes close to what is happening here right now in terms of cases per capita. Places like Japan are proving that deaths and hospitalizations from this virus can become avoidable if we simply start to wear masks inside public areas avoid gatherings where people aren't wearing masks continue to practice hand hygiene limit the size of our social bubble and continue our contact tracing efforts. Those celebrating new infections as bringing us closer to herd immunity are celebrating a possibility that doesn't likely exist without a vaccine. Since big bumps in new infections also tend to bring new deaths new hospitalizations missed time from work and business closures - in a sense - they are only celebrating tragedy in our communities. There are currently several vaccines in the final phases of trials for this virus. The odds are becoming very realistic that we will have a safe and effective vaccine within nine months. Surely we can make some small sacrifices for a little longer and see if science provides a solution as it has with countless other infectious diseases. I can't tell you how difficult it is to tell someone's family that their loved one has died. We are losing beloved parents grandparents siblings and friends but it doesn't have to be this way. We need to have a paradigm shift and start recognizing that contracting the virus could become mostly avoidable if we come together and start taking precautions. Again these spikes in new cases can be avoided. Each life is precious to someone and pushing for herd immunity via new infections seems either naively misinformed or grossly misanthropic. "";""Jordan Singleton"";"""";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"480;2020-07-15 12:00:00;123;""Expecting herd immunity is unethical"";""Jordan Singleton"";""Deseret News"";"""";"""";"" I am a concerned physician about the misinformation resulting from guest opinions in the Deseret News. A recent article titled 'We are seeing spikes in COVID-19 cases. That might not be a bad thing' (July 8) can do terrible harm to our pandemic response. Social media now has several people in our communities justifying careless behavior based on this article. One can cite any fatality rate they wish but the statistics that matter are that every place with large spikes in cases quickly sees its hospital systems become overwhelmed with the sick and dying. Articles like this are a huge slap in the face to health care workers families personally affected by this virus or other patients needing hospital care. Our collective safety is put in danger by the aftermath of these spikes. We already have 130000 dead and millions of hospitalizations in this country from this virus and a respected newspaper is printing opinion articles that suggest new infections are a good thing. There is no developed country in the world allowing natural herd immunity to this virus. The cost of human lives is unacceptable and herd immunity without a vaccine may not even be achievable. Polio smallpox measles and other viruses never truly seemed to reach herd immunity status before vaccines. Transmission would sometimes wane and then come roaring back. Without vaccines obtaining lasting herd immunity to virulent viruses does not come easy. Natural herd immunity appears even more implausible when we consider that even the most affected countries from COVID-19 are still nowhere near herd immunity. For instance Spain was especially affected by the early pandemic. It had close to 30000 deaths in a short period of time and had several of its hospitals completely overwhelmed. Recent antibody testing has shown Spain still only has 5% immunity. Even Stockholm Sweden which initially had a more relaxed approach only has 7% immunity. At this pace it will take several years if not a decade to reach herd immunity without a vaccine - and immunity may not last that long without a vaccine booster. However the mere suggestion that we attempt natural herd immunity is highly unethical since we have learned that the spread of the virus can be limited. Japan had 197 new cases on July 9 in its entire country. It has a population of 126.5 million. Utah had around 850 new cases on that same day in spite of having a population of only 3.2 million. In fact there is no developed country in the world that comes close to what is happening here right now in terms of cases per capita. Places like Japan are proving that deaths and hospitalizations from this virus can become avoidable if we simply start to wear masks inside public areas avoid gatherings where people aren't wearing masks continue to practice hand hygiene limit the size of our social bubble and continue our contact tracing efforts. Those celebrating new infections as bringing us closer to herd immunity are celebrating a possibility that doesn't likely exist without a vaccine. Since big bumps in new infections also tend to bring new deaths new hospitalizations missed time from work and business closures - in a sense - they are only celebrating tragedy in our communities. There are currently several vaccines in the final phases of trials for this virus. The odds are becoming very realistic that we will have a safe and effective vaccine within nine months. Surely we can make some small sacrifices for a little longer and see if science provides a solution as it has with countless other infectious diseases. I can't tell you how difficult it is to tell someone's family that their loved one has died. We are losing beloved parents grandparents siblings and friends but it doesn't have to be this way. We need to have a paradigm shift and start recognizing that contracting the virus could become mostly avoidable if we come together and start taking precautions. Again these spikes in new cases can be avoided. Each life is precious to someone and pushing for herd immunity via new infections seems either naively misinformed or grossly misanthropic. "";""Jordan Singleton"";"""";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"477;2020-07-16 12:00:00;122;""Can you get infected with COVID-19 twice? Experts say possibility is ''certainly real''"";""John Bacon"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'My clinical interpretation from these new studies is that until we have a vaccine that is widely available societies will not naturally develop their own herd immunity' Nolan said. 'These new findings suggest that persons might get re-infected.'"";""Melissa Nolan"";""University of South Carolina"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"138;2020-07-16 12:00:00;122;""Can you get infected with COVID-19 twice? Experts say possibility is ''certainly real''"";""John Bacon"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'Individual or herd immunity derived from recovering from COVID-19 would be a very useful factor in the fight against the disease' Omenka said. 'However it would not be helpful to bank on this possibility without any clear generalizable supporting evidence.'"";""Ogbonnaya Omenka"";""Butler University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"476;2020-07-17 12:00:00;121;""Experts weigh possible COVID-19 reinfections"";""John Bacon"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'My clinical interpretation from these new studies is that until we have a vaccine that is widely available societies will not naturally develop their own herd immunity' Nolan said. 'These new findings suggest that persons might get reinfected.' "";""Melissa Nolan"";""University of South Carolina"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"129;2020-07-17 12:00:00;121;""Experts weigh possible COVID-19 reinfections"";""John Bacon"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'Individual or herd immunity derived from recovering from COVID-19 would be a very useful factor in the fight against the disease' Omenka said. 'However it would not be helpful to bank on this possibility without any clear generalizable supporting evidence.'"";""Ogbonnaya Omenka"";""Butler University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"474;2020-07-21 12:00:00;120;""Sweden hoped herd immunity would curb COVID-19. Don''t do what we did. It''s not working."";""Various"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Sweden has often been considered a leader when it comes to global humanitarian issues regarded as a beacon of light in areas such as accepting refugees and working against global warming. In the COVID-19 pandemic Sweden has also created interest around the world by following its own path of using a soft� approach � not locking down introducing mostly voluntary restrictions and spurning the use of masks.This approach has been perceived as more liberal and has shown up in Be Like Sweden� signs and chants at U.S. protests. Wherever measures have been lenient though death rates have peaked. In the United States areas that are coming out of lockdown early are suffering and we are seeing the same in other countries as well.The motives for the Swedish Public Health Agency's light-touch approach are somewhat of a mystery. Some other countries that initially used this strategy swiftlyabandoned it as the death toll began to increase opting instead for delayed lockdowns. But Sweden has been faithful to its approach.Why? Gaining herd immunity where large numbers of the population (preferably younger) are infected and thereby develop immunity has not been an official goal of the Swedish Public Health Agency. But it has said immunity in the population could help suppress the spread of the disease and some agency statements suggest itis the secret goal.An unnerving death rateFurther evidence of this is that the agency insists on mandatory schooling for young children the importance of testing has been played down for a long time the agency refused to acknowledge the importance of asymptomatic spread of the virus (concerningly it has encouraged those in households with COVID-19 infected individuals to go to work and school) and still refuses to recommend masks in public despite the overwhelming evidence of their effectiveness. In addition the stated goal of the Swedish authorities was always not to minimize the epidemic but rather slow it down so that the health care system wouldnt be overwhelmed.Several authorities including the World Health Organization have condemned herd immunity as a strategy. 'It can lead to a very brutal arithmetic that does not putpeople and life and suffering at the center of that equation� Dr. Mike Ryan executive director of WHO's Health Emergencies Program said at a press conference in May.With COVID-19 dont only focus on death: Too many Americans are alive and in misery.Regardless of whether herd immunity is a goal or a side effect of the Swedish strategy how has it worked out? Not so well according to the agencys own test results. The proportion of Swedes carrying antibodies is estimated to be under 10% thus nowhere near herd immunity. And yet the Swedish death rate is unnerving. Sweden has a death toll greater than the United States: 556 deaths per million inhabitants compared with 425 as of July 20.Sweden also has a death toll more than four and a half times greater than that of the other four Nordic countries combined � more than seven times greater per million inhabitants. For a number of weeks Sweden has been among the top in the world when it comes to current reported deaths per capita. And despite this the strategy in essence remains the same.Learn from Sweden's mistakesIt is possible that the Public Health Authority actually believed that the Swedish approach was the most appropriate and sustainable one and that the other countries many of which went into lockdown would do worse. Perhaps this and not herd immunity is the main reason the authorities are desperately clinging to their strategy. Or perhaps an unwillingness to admit early mistakes and take responsibility for thousands of unnecessary deaths plays into this resistance to change. Nevertheless the result at this stage is unequivocal.Adopting the Swedish model: Coronavirus doesn't care about public opinion and it still killsWe do believe Sweden can be used as a model but not in the way it was thought of initially. It can instead serve as a control group and answer the question of how efficient the voluntary distancing and loose measures in Sweden are compared to lockdowns aggressive testing tracing and the use of masks.In Sweden the strategy has led to death grief and suffering and on top of that there are no indications that the Swedish economy has fared better than in many other countries. At the moment we have set an example for the rest of the world on how not to deal with a deadly infectious disease.In the end this too shall pass and life will eventually return to normal. New medical treatments will come and improve the prognosis. Hopefully there will be a vaccine. Stick it out until then. And dont do it the Swedish way."";""Swedish Letter July"";""Swedish Letter July"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"475;2020-07-21 12:00:00;120;""Sweden hoped herd immunity would curb COVID-19. Don''t do what we did. It''s not working."";""Various"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Sweden has often been considered a leader when it comes to global humanitarian issues regarded as a beacon of light in areas such as accepting refugees and working against global warming. In the COVID-19 pandemic Sweden has also created interest around the world by following its own path of using a soft� approach � not locking down introducing mostly voluntary restrictions and spurning the use of masks.This approach has been perceived as more liberal and has shown up in Be Like Sweden� signs and chants at U.S. protests. Wherever measures have been lenient though death rates have peaked. In the United States areas that are coming out of lockdown early are suffering and we are seeing the same in other countries as well.The motives for the Swedish Public Health Agency's light-touch approach are somewhat of a mystery. Some other countries that initially used this strategy swiftlyabandoned it as the death toll began to increase opting instead for delayed lockdowns. But Sweden has been faithful to its approach.Why? Gaining herd immunity where large numbers of the population (preferably younger) are infected and thereby develop immunity has not been an official goal of the Swedish Public Health Agency. But it has said immunity in the population could help suppress the spread of the disease and some agency statements suggest itis the secret goal.An unnerving death rateFurther evidence of this is that the agency insists on mandatory schooling for young children the importance of testing has been played down for a long time the agency refused to acknowledge the importance of asymptomatic spread of the virus (concerningly it has encouraged those in households with COVID-19 infected individuals to go to work and school) and still refuses to recommend masks in public despite the overwhelming evidence of their effectiveness. In addition the stated goal of the Swedish authorities was always not to minimize the epidemic but rather slow it down so that the health care system wouldnt be overwhelmed.Several authorities including the World Health Organization have condemned herd immunity as a strategy. 'It can lead to a very brutal arithmetic that does not putpeople and life and suffering at the center of that equation� Dr. Mike Ryan executive director of WHO's Health Emergencies Program said at a press conference in May.With COVID-19 dont only focus on death: Too many Americans are alive and in misery.Regardless of whether herd immunity is a goal or a side effect of the Swedish strategy how has it worked out? Not so well according to the agencys own test results. The proportion of Swedes carrying antibodies is estimated to be under 10% thus nowhere near herd immunity. And yet the Swedish death rate is unnerving. Sweden has a death toll greater than the United States: 556 deaths per million inhabitants compared with 425 as of July 20.Sweden also has a death toll more than four and a half times greater than that of the other four Nordic countries combined � more than seven times greater per million inhabitants. For a number of weeks Sweden has been among the top in the world when it comes to current reported deaths per capita. And despite this the strategy in essence remains the same.Learn from Sweden's mistakesIt is possible that the Public Health Authority actually believed that the Swedish approach was the most appropriate and sustainable one and that the other countries many of which went into lockdown would do worse. Perhaps this and not herd immunity is the main reason the authorities are desperately clinging to their strategy. Or perhaps an unwillingness to admit early mistakes and take responsibility for thousands of unnecessary deaths plays into this resistance to change. Nevertheless the result at this stage is unequivocal.Adopting the Swedish model: Coronavirus doesn't care about public opinion and it still killsWe do believe Sweden can be used as a model but not in the way it was thought of initially. It can instead serve as a control group and answer the question of how efficient the voluntary distancing and loose measures in Sweden are compared to lockdowns aggressive testing tracing and the use of masks.In Sweden the strategy has led to death grief and suffering and on top of that there are no indications that the Swedish economy has fared better than in many other countries. At the moment we have set an example for the rest of the world on how not to deal with a deadly infectious disease.In the end this too shall pass and life will eventually return to normal. New medical treatments will come and improve the prognosis. Hopefully there will be a vaccine. Stick it out until then. And dont do it the Swedish way."";""Swedish Letter July"";""Swedish Letter July"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"472;2020-07-21 12:00:00;120;""Sweden hoped herd immunity would curb COVID-19. Don''t do what we did. It''s not working."";""Various"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""World Health Organization have condemned herd immunity as a strategy. 'It can lead to a very brutal arithmetic that does not putpeople and life and suffering at the center of that equation� Dr. Mike Ryan executive director of WHO's Health Emergencies Program said at a press conference in May."";""Michael Ryan"";""World Health Organization"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"473;2020-07-21 12:00:00;120;""Sweden hoped herd immunity would curb COVID-19. Don''t do what we did. It''s not working."";""Various"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""World Health Organization have condemned herd immunity as a strategy. 'It can lead to a very brutal arithmetic that does not putpeople and life and suffering at the center of that equation� Dr. Mike Ryan executive director of WHO's Health Emergencies Program said at a press conference in May."";""Michael Ryan"";""World Health Organization"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"470;2020-08-08 12:00:00;119;""Fact-check: Herd immunity has not been reached"";""Ciara O''Rourke"";""Austin American-Statesman"";"""";"""";""But Jennifer Nuzzo an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins said it cannot in any way be used to assess whether or not weve achieved herd immunity.� The Facebook post she said is a completely inappropriate interpretation of what its showing.�Rather she said test positivity is a measure specialists use to gauge whether a community is conducting enough testing. Because the rate of people testing positive for COVID-19 can change depending on the number of tests administered it doesnt necessarily reflect how many people are becoming infected. Low positivity rates for example could result from simply testing a large number of uninfected people she said. Plus asymptomatic people who are infected and possibly spreading the disease may never get tested.Scientists use serological surveys of a representative sample of the population to estimate what fraction of a community has likely been infected with COVID-19 Nuzzo said. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has done this and according to its most recent findings no one is near herd immunity even inthe hardest-hit places in the United States.�"";""Jennifer Nuzzo"";""John Hopkins University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"471;2020-08-08 12:00:00;119;""Fact-check: Herd immunity has not been reached"";""Ciara O''Rourke"";""Austin American-Statesman"";"""";"""";""We contacted several other specialists for help parsing the claims in the Facebook post. We even asked a biostatistician as the post suggested. This post is not accurate� said Natalie Dean a biostatistics professor at the University of Florida.Because test positivity is low in some areas like New York and high in others like Florida its not particularly meaningful to look at the entire United States as one unit� she said. While numbers in some of the hotspot states appear to be stabilizing it is hard to know for sure because testing capacity is strained and there are significant backlogs.�"";""Natalie Dean"";""University of Florida"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"468;2020-08-09 12:00:00;118;""A vaccine or a spike in deaths: How America can build herd immunity"";""Harry Stevens"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""Laura Ingraham tweeted that pursuing herd immunity was the 'only practical way forward.'"";""Laura Ingraham"";""Fox News"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"469;2020-08-09 12:00:00;118;""A vaccine or a spike in deaths: How America can build herd immunity"";""Harry Stevens"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'There's just way too little seroprevalence in all of these states to come anywhere close to achieving herd immunity' said Marcus Russi a Yale epidemiologist who helped build the model."";""Marcus Russi"";""Yale University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"692;2020-08-10 12:00:00;117;""Require vaccines for all to defeat COVID"";""Michael Lederman Maxwell Mehlman Stuart Youngner"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Nor is there an alternative to vaccine-induced herd immunity in a pandemic. Relying on enough people becoming infected and then immune is dangerous as exemplified by the Swedish experience where the COVID-19 mortality rate exceeds that of its more cautious neighbors. Broad induction of immunity in the population by immunization will be necessary to end this pandemic. In simple terms a refusal to be vaccinated threatens the lives of others."";""Michael Lederman"";""Case Western Reserve University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"693;2020-08-10 12:00:00;117;""Require vaccines for all to defeat COVID"";""Michael Lederman Maxwell Mehlman Stuart Youngner"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Nor is there an alternative to vaccine-induced herd immunity in a pandemic. Relying on enough people becoming infected and then immune is dangerous as exemplified by the Swedish experience where the COVID-19 mortality rate exceeds that of its more cautious neighbors. Broad induction of immunity in the population by immunization will be necessary to end this pandemic. In simple terms a refusal to be vaccinated threatens the lives of others."";""Michael Lederman"";""Case Western Reserve University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"694;2020-08-10 12:00:00;117;""Require vaccines for all to defeat COVID"";""Michael Lederman Maxwell Mehlman Stuart Youngner"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Nor is there an alternative to vaccine-induced herd immunity in a pandemic. Relying on enough people becoming infected and then immune is dangerous as exemplified by the Swedish experience where the COVID-19 mortality rate exceeds that of its more cautious neighbors. Broad induction of immunity in the population by immunization will be necessary to end this pandemic. In simple terms a refusal to be vaccinated threatens the lives of others."";""Maxwell Mehlam"";""Case Western Reserve University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"695;2020-08-10 12:00:00;117;""Require vaccines for all to defeat COVID"";""Michael Lederman Maxwell Mehlman Stuart Youngner"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Nor is there an alternative to vaccine-induced herd immunity in a pandemic. Relying on enough people becoming infected and then immune is dangerous as exemplified by the Swedish experience where the COVID-19 mortality rate exceeds that of its more cautious neighbors. Broad induction of immunity in the population by immunization will be necessary to end this pandemic. In simple terms a refusal to be vaccinated threatens the lives of others."";""Maxwell Mehlam"";""Case Western Reserve University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"696;2020-08-10 12:00:00;117;""Require vaccines for all to defeat COVID"";""Michael Lederman Maxwell Mehlman Stuart Youngner"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Nor is there an alternative to vaccine-induced herd immunity in a pandemic. Relying on enough people becoming infected and then immune is dangerous as exemplified by the Swedish experience where the COVID-19 mortality rate exceeds that of its more cautious neighbors. Broad induction of immunity in the population by immunization will be necessary to end this pandemic. In simple terms a refusal to be vaccinated threatens the lives of others."";""Stuart Younger"";""Case Western Reserve University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"697;2020-08-10 12:00:00;117;""Require vaccines for all to defeat COVID"";""Michael Lederman Maxwell Mehlman Stuart Youngner"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Nor is there an alternative to vaccine-induced herd immunity in a pandemic. Relying on enough people becoming infected and then immune is dangerous as exemplified by the Swedish experience where the COVID-19 mortality rate exceeds that of its more cautious neighbors. Broad induction of immunity in the population by immunization will be necessary to end this pandemic. In simple terms a refusal to be vaccinated threatens the lives of others."";""Stuart Younger"";""Case Western Reserve University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"456;2020-08-15 12:00:00;116;""OUTBREAK Fauci: ''''Herd immunity'''' equals mass death"";""Yaron Steinbuch"";""New York Post"";"""";"""";""'If everyone contracted it even with the relatively high percentage of people without symptoms . . . a lot of people are going to die' the nation's top infectious-diseases expert said during a live Instagram session Thursday with actor Matthew McConaughey.'You look at the United States with our epidemic of obesity as it were. With the number of people with hypertension. With the number of people with diabetes. Ifeveryone got infected the death toll would be enormous and totally unacceptable' said Fauci 79."";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"467;2020-08-15 12:00:00;116;""OUTBREAK Fauci: ''''Herd immunity'''' equals mass death"";""Yaron Steinbuch"";""New York Post"";"""";"""";""'If everyone contracted it even with the relatively high percentage of people without symptoms . . . a lot of people are going to die' the nation's top infectious-diseases expert said during a live Instagram session Thursday with actor Matthew McConaughey.'You look at the United States with our epidemic of obesity as it were. With the number of people with hypertension. With the number of people with diabetes. Ifeveryone got infected the death toll would be enormous and totally unacceptable' said Fauci 79."";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"676;2020-08-15 12:00:00;116;""OUTBREAK Fauci: ''''Herd immunity'''' equals mass death"";""Yaron Steinbuch"";""New York Post"";"""";"""";""'If everyone contracted it even with the relatively high percentage of people without symptoms . . . a lot of people are going to die' the nation's top infectious-diseases expert said during a live Instagram session Thursday with actor Matthew McConaughey.'You look at the United States with our epidemic of obesity as it were. With the number of people with hypertension. With the number of people with diabetes. Ifeveryone got infected the death toll would be enormous and totally unacceptable' said Fauci 79."";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"458;2020-08-17 12:00:00;114;""What if �Herd Immunity�� Is Closer Than Scientists Thought?"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""But in parts of New York London and Mumbai for example it is not inconceivable that there is already substantial immunity to the coronavirus scientists said. Im quite prepared to believe that there are pockets in New York City and London which have substantial immunity� said Bill Hanage an epidemiologist at theHarvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. What happens this winter will reflect that.�The question of what it means for the population as a whole however is much more fraught� he added."";""William Hanage"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"459;2020-08-17 12:00:00;114;""What if �Herd Immunity�� Is Closer Than Scientists Thought?"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""That doesnt happen in real life� said Dr. Saad Omer director of the Yale Institute for Global Health. Herd immunity could vary from group to group and subpopulation to subpopulation� and even by postal codes  he said."";""Saad Omer"";""Yale University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"460;2020-08-17 12:00:00;114;""What if �Herd Immunity�� Is Closer Than Scientists Thought?"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""That could be the explanation for why you dont see a resurgence in places like New York� she said."";""Sunetra Gupta"";""Oxford University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"461;2020-08-17 12:00:00;114;""What if �Herd Immunity�� Is Closer Than Scientists Thought?"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""But where is the evidence that its protective?� asked Natalie Dean a biostatistician at the University of Florida. These cities have not returned to pre-pandemic levels of activity other experts noted."";""Natalie Dean"";""University of Florida"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"462;2020-08-17 12:00:00;114;""What if �Herd Immunity�� Is Closer Than Scientists Thought?"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""We are still nowhere near back to normal in our daily behavior� said Virginia Pitzer a mathematical epidemiologist at the Yale School of Public Health. To think that we can just stop doing all that and go back to normal and not see a rise in cases I think is wrong is incorrect.�"";""Virginia Pitzer"";""Yale University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"463;2020-08-17 12:00:00;114;""What if �Herd Immunity�� Is Closer Than Scientists Thought?"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""At least in countries we applied it to we could never get any signal that herd immunity thresholds are higher� Dr. Gomes said. I think its good to have this horizonthat it may be just a few more months of pandemic.�"";""Gabriela Gomes"";""University of Strathclyde"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"464;2020-08-17 12:00:00;114;""What if �Herd Immunity�� Is Closer Than Scientists Thought?"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""I think wed be playing with fire if we pretended were done with this� Dr. Shaman said."";""Jeffrey Shaman"";""Columbia University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"465;2020-08-17 12:00:00;115;""Dr. Fauci: �We��ve been through a Depression we��ve been through a World War. We pulled together through 9/11�� The infectious-diseasee exper...herd immunity instead of maintaining safety procedures and waiting for a vaccine in..."";""Quentin Fottrell"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""Fauci also said that aiming for 100% herd immunity which the U.K. briefly contemplated and Sweden attempted before reversing their policy instead of maintaining safety procedures and waiting for a vaccine in early 2021 would have dire consequences. If everyone contracted it a lot of people are going to die� he said. Youre talking about a substantial portion of the population.�"";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"466;2020-08-17 12:00:00;115;""Dr. Fauci: �We��ve been through a Depression we��ve been through a World War. We pulled together through 9/11�� The infectious-diseasee exper...herd immunity instead of maintaining safety procedures and waiting for a vaccine in..."";""Quentin Fottrell"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""Fauci also said that aiming for 100% herd immunity which the U.K. briefly contemplated and Sweden attempted before reversing their policy instead of maintaining safety procedures and waiting for a vaccine in early 2021 would have dire consequences. If everyone contracted it a lot of people are going to die� he said. Youre talking about a substantial portion of the population.�"";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"379;2020-08-18 12:00:00;113;""Herd Immunity Is Hard to Decipher"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""''I'm quite prepared to believe that there are pockets in New York City and London which have substantial immunity'' said Bill Hanage an epidemiologist at theHarvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. ''What happens this winter will reflect that.''''The question of what it means for the population as a whole however is much more fraught'' he added."";""William Hanage"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"380;2020-08-18 12:00:00;113;""Herd Immunity Is Hard to Decipher"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""''That doesn't happen in real life'' said Dr. Saad Omer director of the Yale Institute for Global Health. ''Herd immunity could vary from group to group and subpopulation to subpopulation'' and even by postal codes he said."";""Saad Omer"";""Yale University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"381;2020-08-18 12:00:00;113;""Herd Immunity Is Hard to Decipher"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""''That could be the explanation for why you don't see a resurgence in places like New York'' she said."";""Sunetra Gupta"";""Oxford University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"382;2020-08-18 12:00:00;113;""Herd Immunity Is Hard to Decipher"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""But ''where is the evidence that it's protective?'' asked Natalie Dean a biostatistician at the University of Florida. These cities have not returned to pre-pandemic levels of activity other experts noted.''We are still nowhere near back to normal in our daily behavior'' said Virginia Pitzer a mathematical epidemiologist at the Yale School of Public Health. ''To think that we can just stop doing all that and go back to normal and not see a rise in cases I think is wrong is incorrect.''"";""Virginia Pitzer"";""Yale University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"383;2020-08-18 12:00:00;113;""Herd Immunity Is Hard to Decipher"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""''At least in countries we applied it to we could never get any signal that herd immunity thresholds are higher'' Dr. Gomes said. ''I think it's good to have this horizon that it may be just a few more months of pandemic.''"";""Gabriela Gomes"";""University of Strathclyde"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"457;2020-08-18 12:00:00;113;""Herd Immunity Is Hard to Decipher"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""'I think we'd be playing with fire if we pretended we're done with this'' Dr. Shaman said."";""Jeffrey Shaman"";""Columbia University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"455;2020-08-19 12:00:00;109;""Don''''''''t count on COVID herd immunity just yet"";""Pranam Dey Elizabeth Bradley Howard Forman"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The Trump administration's Covid response seems increasingly to reflect a policy preference among some conservatives: Protect the elderly and let others try to get on with their lives. This thinking assumes that herd immunity will slow the pandemic if more younger people are infected. Many features of federal policy seem to be following this philosophy.It's important to protect the old and the vulnerable who are at the highest risk of severe illness and bad outcomes. But like most issues of medicine it isn't a binary choice. Given the uncertainties of how this virus spreads and its high risk of infirmities it would be unwise to abandon efforts to limit Covid spread wherever possible. That means continued universal masking social distancing and diagnosing and tracing of individual cases.While age appears to be the strongest predictor of death and severe disease other risks like diabetes and obesity correlate with bad outcomes. About 10% of Americans have diabetes and 40% are considered obese. Young people can fall seriously ill. About 40% of hospitalizations in Sunbelt states in the last week of June were in people ages 18 to 49. Then there are those who survive but don't fully recover. There's growing evidence that the virus can damage the heart and cause dangerous autoimmune and inflammatory conditions including in children.Covid spreads too easily to think it can be confined to the young. The summer epidemics in Sunbelt states initially affected mainly a younger cohort and then seeped into an older population. A wedding in Maine caused an outbreak that spread to a rehabilitation center and a jail. It is neither possible nor desirable to lock away the elderly and people with underlying health conditions.Yet this week proponents of the let-it-rip policy hailed a rewrite of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines that appears to discourage testing asymptomatic people who have been exposed to the virus. The new guidance whatever its intent will discourage communities from testing the young and the healthy. This will make it more difficult to track and trace cases.Proponents point to Sweden as a successful model of this approach. Swedish government officials initially sought to let the virus run largely unchallenged in the general population while taking steps to protect the elderly. The Swedish view was that the country could reach herd immunity without jeopardizing the economy. But holding up Sweden as an enlightened model misreads important parts of its experience.Many Swedes pulled back from normal activities to shelter themselves from infection anyway even younger and middle-aged people. The country experienced 5821 Covid deaths in a population the size of North Carolina. And Sweden is far short of herd immunity even as the country's economic recovery ranks among the worst in its region. A May survey of Swedish exposure to coronavirus found that 6.7% of those aged 20 to 64 had evidence of past infection along with 4.7% of those younger than 19 and 2.7% of those 65 and older. Stockholm the country's single large population center also has a much lower density than most American cities. That reduces Sweden's risk of continued epidemic spread.Yet embrace of the 'Swedish model' is based on assumptions that sidestep some of these facts. The biggest misconception is a belief that there's a large reservoir of Americans who are already immune to Covid. This view is based on the fact that as many as 50% of people have immune cells called T-cells that develop in response to other seasonal coronaviruses and which have been shown to counter the Covid virus in petri-dish tests. Yet the science here is preliminary and this lab finding may not have any bearing on the pandemic's dynamics.Confronting a dangerous pandemic requires containing spread wherever it is reasonably possible. Sensible measures such as universal masking testing and widespread and rapid contact tracing can help. The best way to protect the vulnerable is to try to protect everyone."";""Scott Gottlieb"";""American Enterprise Institute"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"674;2020-08-19 12:00:00;109;""Don''''''''t count on COVID herd immunity just yet"";""Pranam Dey Elizabeth Bradley Howard Forman"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The Trump administration's Covid response seems increasingly to reflect a policy preference among some conservatives: Protect the elderly and let others try to get on with their lives. This thinking assumes that herd immunity will slow the pandemic if more younger people are infected. Many features of federal policy seem to be following this philosophy.It's important to protect the old and the vulnerable who are at the highest risk of severe illness and bad outcomes. But like most issues of medicine it isn't a binary choice. Given the uncertainties of how this virus spreads and its high risk of infirmities it would be unwise to abandon efforts to limit Covid spread wherever possible. That means continued universal masking social distancing and diagnosing and tracing of individual cases.While age appears to be the strongest predictor of death and severe disease other risks like diabetes and obesity correlate with bad outcomes. About 10% of Americans have diabetes and 40% are considered obese. Young people can fall seriously ill. About 40% of hospitalizations in Sunbelt states in the last week of June were in people ages 18 to 49. Then there are those who survive but don't fully recover. There's growing evidence that the virus can damage the heart and cause dangerous autoimmune and inflammatory conditions including in children.Covid spreads too easily to think it can be confined to the young. The summer epidemics in Sunbelt states initially affected mainly a younger cohort and then seeped into an older population. A wedding in Maine caused an outbreak that spread to a rehabilitation center and a jail. It is neither possible nor desirable to lock away the elderly and people with underlying health conditions.Yet this week proponents of the let-it-rip policy hailed a rewrite of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines that appears to discourage testing asymptomatic people who have been exposed to the virus. The new guidance whatever its intent will discourage communities from testing the young and the healthy. This will make it more difficult to track and trace cases.Proponents point to Sweden as a successful model of this approach. Swedish government officials initially sought to let the virus run largely unchallenged in the general population while taking steps to protect the elderly. The Swedish view was that the country could reach herd immunity without jeopardizing the economy. But holding up Sweden as an enlightened model misreads important parts of its experience.Many Swedes pulled back from normal activities to shelter themselves from infection anyway even younger and middle-aged people. The country experienced 5821 Covid deaths in a population the size of North Carolina. And Sweden is far short of herd immunity even as the country's economic recovery ranks among the worst in its region. A May survey of Swedish exposure to coronavirus found that 6.7% of those aged 20 to 64 had evidence of past infection along with 4.7% of those younger than 19 and 2.7% of those 65 and older. Stockholm the country's single large population center also has a much lower density than most American cities. That reduces Sweden's risk of continued epidemic spread.Yet embrace of the 'Swedish model' is based on assumptions that sidestep some of these facts. The biggest misconception is a belief that there's a large reservoir of Americans who are already immune to Covid. This view is based on the fact that as many as 50% of people have immune cells called T-cells that develop in response to other seasonal coronaviruses and which have been shown to counter the Covid virus in petri-dish tests. Yet the science here is preliminary and this lab finding may not have any bearing on the pandemic's dynamics.Confronting a dangerous pandemic requires containing spread wherever it is reasonably possible. Sensible measures such as universal masking testing and widespread and rapid contact tracing can help. The best way to protect the vulnerable is to try to protect everyone."";""Scott Gottlieb"";""American Enterprise Institute"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"675;2020-08-19 12:00:00;109;""Don''''''''t count on COVID herd immunity just yet"";""Pranam Dey Elizabeth Bradley Howard Forman"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The Trump administration's Covid response seems increasingly to reflect a policy preference among some conservatives: Protect the elderly and let others try to get on with their lives. This thinking assumes that herd immunity will slow the pandemic if more younger people are infected. Many features of federal policy seem to be following this philosophy.It's important to protect the old and the vulnerable who are at the highest risk of severe illness and bad outcomes. But like most issues of medicine it isn't a binary choice. Given the uncertainties of how this virus spreads and its high risk of infirmities it would be unwise to abandon efforts to limit Covid spread wherever possible. That means continued universal masking social distancing and diagnosing and tracing of individual cases.While age appears to be the strongest predictor of death and severe disease other risks like diabetes and obesity correlate with bad outcomes. About 10% of Americans have diabetes and 40% are considered obese. Young people can fall seriously ill. About 40% of hospitalizations in Sunbelt states in the last week of June were in people ages 18 to 49. Then there are those who survive but don't fully recover. There's growing evidence that the virus can damage the heart and cause dangerous autoimmune and inflammatory conditions including in children.Covid spreads too easily to think it can be confined to the young. The summer epidemics in Sunbelt states initially affected mainly a younger cohort and then seeped into an older population. A wedding in Maine caused an outbreak that spread to a rehabilitation center and a jail. It is neither possible nor desirable to lock away the elderly and people with underlying health conditions.Yet this week proponents of the let-it-rip policy hailed a rewrite of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines that appears to discourage testing asymptomatic people who have been exposed to the virus. The new guidance whatever its intent will discourage communities from testing the young and the healthy. This will make it more difficult to track and trace cases.Proponents point to Sweden as a successful model of this approach. Swedish government officials initially sought to let the virus run largely unchallenged in the general population while taking steps to protect the elderly. The Swedish view was that the country could reach herd immunity without jeopardizing the economy. But holding up Sweden as an enlightened model misreads important parts of its experience.Many Swedes pulled back from normal activities to shelter themselves from infection anyway even younger and middle-aged people. The country experienced 5821 Covid deaths in a population the size of North Carolina. And Sweden is far short of herd immunity even as the country's economic recovery ranks among the worst in its region. A May survey of Swedish exposure to coronavirus found that 6.7% of those aged 20 to 64 had evidence of past infection along with 4.7% of those younger than 19 and 2.7% of those 65 and older. Stockholm the country's single large population center also has a much lower density than most American cities. That reduces Sweden's risk of continued epidemic spread.Yet embrace of the 'Swedish model' is based on assumptions that sidestep some of these facts. The biggest misconception is a belief that there's a large reservoir of Americans who are already immune to Covid. This view is based on the fact that as many as 50% of people have immune cells called T-cells that develop in response to other seasonal coronaviruses and which have been shown to counter the Covid virus in petri-dish tests. Yet the science here is preliminary and this lab finding may not have any bearing on the pandemic's dynamics.Confronting a dangerous pandemic requires containing spread wherever it is reasonably possible. Sensible measures such as universal masking testing and widespread and rapid contact tracing can help. The best way to protect the vulnerable is to try to protect everyone."";""Scott Gottlieb"";""American Enterprise Institute"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"378;2020-08-19 12:00:00;112;""Don''t count on COVID herd immunity just yet"";"""";"""";"""";"""";""The best way to achieve herd immunity without massive loss of life is with a vaccine that is both highly effective and taken by the vast majority of individuals so that all regions have at least 60%-70% of population with true immunity. This won't be easy. While we have multiple vaccine candidates in late-stage clinical trials we know vaccines are hard to make. And we know some people fear taking vaccines. To maximize levels of immunity nationwide and to reopen the American economy as soon as possible we would do well to focus on making any future vaccine widely accessible and ideally free of charge. Public confidence in the vaccine can be boosted by a Food and Drug Administration approval process that is science-based rigorous and transparent.Whether from antibodies or T cells or both infection-acquired immunity in Chelsea Massachusetts won't do much to protect people in Chelsea Manhattan let alone people in Chelsea London. To achieve herd immunity we will all need to get our shots."";""Pranam Dey"";""Yale University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"376;2020-08-22 12:00:00;111;""Have you �herd��? New York might have immunity��but please don��t count on it the mayor pleads Residents in lower-income neighborhoods..."";""Ellis Henican"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""Something has gotten around out there� the mayor said sort of folk wisdom in some communities. But I want to note that we dont have proof of it and we should just work off of an abundance of caution not rest on that laurel if you will.�Added de Blasio: I think were nowhere near that point from what we know and understand.�"";""Bill de Blasio"";""New York City"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"377;2020-08-22 12:00:00;111;""Have you �herd��? New York might have immunity��but please don��t count on it the mayor pleads Residents in lower-income neighborhoods..."";""Ellis Henican"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""A large swath of the population has been exposed� she said. Some have become immune and therefore exhibit antibodies...And some were resistant to start with.�However they got their protection this could be a life saver should another wave of the virus hit this fall. Said Gupta: Under those circumstances no we shouldnt see a huge surge in infections in those regions like London and New York where weve had a major incidence of infection and death.�"";""Sunetra Gupta"";""Oxford University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"671;2020-08-31 12:00:00;108;""Sweden Shouldn''''t Be America''''s Pandemic Model"";""Scott Gottlieb"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";"" The Trump administration's Covid response seems increasingly to reflect a policy preference among some conservatives: Protect the elderly and let others try to get on with their lives. This thinking assumes that herd immunity will slow the pandemic if more younger people are infected. Many features of federal policy seem to be following this philosophy.It's important to protect the old and the vulnerable who are at the highest risk of severe illness and bad outcomes. But like most issues of medicine it isn't a binary choice. Given the uncertainties of how this virus spreads and its high risk of infirmities it would be unwise to abandon efforts to limit Covid spread wherever possible. That means continued universal masking social distancing and diagnosing and tracing of individual cases.While age appears to be the strongest predictor of death and severe disease other risks like diabetes and obesity correlate with bad outcomes. About 10% of Americans have diabetes and 40% are considered obese. Young people can fall seriously ill. About 40% of hospitalizations in Sunbelt states in the last week of June were in people ages 18 to 49. Then there are those who survive but don't fully recover. There's growing evidence that the virus can damage the heart and cause dangerous autoimmune and inflammatory conditions including in children.Covid spreads too easily to think it can be confined to the young. The summer epidemics in Sunbelt states initially affected mainly a younger cohort and then seeped into an older population. A wedding in Maine caused an outbreak that spread to a rehabilitation center and a jail. It is neither possible nor desirable to lock away the elderly and people with underlying health conditions.Yet this week proponents of the let-it-rip policy hailed a rewrite of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines that appears to discourage testingasymptomatic people who have been exposed to the virus. The new guidance whatever its intent will discourage communities from testing the young and the healthy. This will make it more difficult to track and trace cases.Proponents point to Sweden as a successful model of this approach. Swedish government officials initially sought to let the virus run largely unchallenged in the general population while taking steps to protect the elderly. The Swedish view was that the country could reach herd immunity without jeopardizing the economy. But holding up Sweden as an enlightened model misreads important parts of its experience.Many Swedes pulled back from normal activities to shelter themselves from infection anyway even younger and middle-aged people. The country experienced 5821 Covid deaths in a population the size of North Carolina. And Sweden is far short of herd immunity even as the country's economic recovery ranks among the worst in its region. A May survey of Swedish exposure to coronavirus found that 6.7% of those aged 20 to 64 had evidence of past infection along with 4.7% of those younger than 19 and 2.7% of those 65 and older. Stockholm the country's single large population center also has a much lower density than most American cities. That reduces Sweden's risk of continued epidemic spread.Yet embrace of the 'Swedish model' is based on assumptions that sidestep some of these facts. The biggest misconception is a belief that there's a large reservoir of Americans who are already immune to Covid. This view is based on the fact that as many as 50% of people have immune cells called T-cells that develop in response to other seasonal coronaviruses and which have been shown to counter the Covid virus in petri-dish tests. Yet the science here is preliminary and this lab finding may not have any bearing on the pandemic's dynamics.Confronting a dangerous pandemic requires containing spread wherever it is reasonably possible. Sensible measures such as universal masking testing and widespread and rapid contact tracing can help. The best way to protect the vulnerable is to try to protect everyone."";""Scott Gottlieb"";""American Enterprise Institute"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"672;2020-08-31 12:00:00;108;""Sweden Shouldn''''t Be America''''s Pandemic Model"";""Scott Gottlieb"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";"" The Trump administration's Covid response seems increasingly to reflect a policy preference among some conservatives: Protect the elderly and let others try to get on with their lives. This thinking assumes that herd immunity will slow the pandemic if more younger people are infected. Many features of federal policy seem to be following this philosophy.It's important to protect the old and the vulnerable who are at the highest risk of severe illness and bad outcomes. But like most issues of medicine it isn't a binary choice. Given the uncertainties of how this virus spreads and its high risk of infirmities it would be unwise to abandon efforts to limit Covid spread wherever possible. That means continued universal masking social distancing and diagnosing and tracing of individual cases.While age appears to be the strongest predictor of death and severe disease other risks like diabetes and obesity correlate with bad outcomes. About 10% of Americans have diabetes and 40% are considered obese. Young people can fall seriously ill. About 40% of hospitalizations in Sunbelt states in the last week of June were in people ages 18 to 49. Then there are those who survive but don't fully recover. There's growing evidence that the virus can damage the heart and cause dangerous autoimmune and inflammatory conditions including in children.Covid spreads too easily to think it can be confined to the young. The summer epidemics in Sunbelt states initially affected mainly a younger cohort and then seeped into an older population. A wedding in Maine caused an outbreak that spread to a rehabilitation center and a jail. It is neither possible nor desirable to lock away the elderly and people with underlying health conditions.Yet this week proponents of the let-it-rip policy hailed a rewrite of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines that appears to discourage testingasymptomatic people who have been exposed to the virus. The new guidance whatever its intent will discourage communities from testing the young and the healthy. This will make it more difficult to track and trace cases.Proponents point to Sweden as a successful model of this approach. Swedish government officials initially sought to let the virus run largely unchallenged in the general population while taking steps to protect the elderly. The Swedish view was that the country could reach herd immunity without jeopardizing the economy. But holding up Sweden as an enlightened model misreads important parts of its experience.Many Swedes pulled back from normal activities to shelter themselves from infection anyway even younger and middle-aged people. The country experienced 5821 Covid deaths in a population the size of North Carolina. And Sweden is far short of herd immunity even as the country's economic recovery ranks among the worst in its region. A May survey of Swedish exposure to coronavirus found that 6.7% of those aged 20 to 64 had evidence of past infection along with 4.7% of those younger than 19 and 2.7% of those 65 and older. Stockholm the country's single large population center also has a much lower density than most American cities. That reduces Sweden's risk of continued epidemic spread.Yet embrace of the 'Swedish model' is based on assumptions that sidestep some of these facts. The biggest misconception is a belief that there's a large reservoir of Americans who are already immune to Covid. This view is based on the fact that as many as 50% of people have immune cells called T-cells that develop in response to other seasonal coronaviruses and which have been shown to counter the Covid virus in petri-dish tests. Yet the science here is preliminary and this lab finding may not have any bearing on the pandemic's dynamics.Confronting a dangerous pandemic requires containing spread wherever it is reasonably possible. Sensible measures such as universal masking testing and widespread and rapid contact tracing can help. The best way to protect the vulnerable is to try to protect everyone."";""Scott Gottlieb"";""American Enterprise Institute"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"673;2020-08-31 12:00:00;108;""Sweden Shouldn''''t Be America''''s Pandemic Model"";""Scott Gottlieb"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";"" The Trump administration's Covid response seems increasingly to reflect a policy preference among some conservatives: Protect the elderly and let others try to get on with their lives. This thinking assumes that herd immunity will slow the pandemic if more younger people are infected. Many features of federal policy seem to be following this philosophy.It's important to protect the old and the vulnerable who are at the highest risk of severe illness and bad outcomes. But like most issues of medicine it isn't a binary choice. Given the uncertainties of how this virus spreads and its high risk of infirmities it would be unwise to abandon efforts to limit Covid spread wherever possible. That means continued universal masking social distancing and diagnosing and tracing of individual cases.While age appears to be the strongest predictor of death and severe disease other risks like diabetes and obesity correlate with bad outcomes. About 10% of Americans have diabetes and 40% are considered obese. Young people can fall seriously ill. About 40% of hospitalizations in Sunbelt states in the last week of June were in people ages 18 to 49. Then there are those who survive but don't fully recover. There's growing evidence that the virus can damage the heart and cause dangerous autoimmune and inflammatory conditions including in children.Covid spreads too easily to think it can be confined to the young. The summer epidemics in Sunbelt states initially affected mainly a younger cohort and then seeped into an older population. A wedding in Maine caused an outbreak that spread to a rehabilitation center and a jail. It is neither possible nor desirable to lock away the elderly and people with underlying health conditions.Yet this week proponents of the let-it-rip policy hailed a rewrite of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines that appears to discourage testingasymptomatic people who have been exposed to the virus. The new guidance whatever its intent will discourage communities from testing the young and the healthy. This will make it more difficult to track and trace cases.Proponents point to Sweden as a successful model of this approach. Swedish government officials initially sought to let the virus run largely unchallenged in the general population while taking steps to protect the elderly. The Swedish view was that the country could reach herd immunity without jeopardizing the economy. But holding up Sweden as an enlightened model misreads important parts of its experience.Many Swedes pulled back from normal activities to shelter themselves from infection anyway even younger and middle-aged people. The country experienced 5821 Covid deaths in a population the size of North Carolina. And Sweden is far short of herd immunity even as the country's economic recovery ranks among the worst in its region. A May survey of Swedish exposure to coronavirus found that 6.7% of those aged 20 to 64 had evidence of past infection along with 4.7% of those younger than 19 and 2.7% of those 65 and older. Stockholm the country's single large population center also has a much lower density than most American cities. That reduces Sweden's risk of continued epidemic spread.Yet embrace of the 'Swedish model' is based on assumptions that sidestep some of these facts. The biggest misconception is a belief that there's a large reservoir of Americans who are already immune to Covid. This view is based on the fact that as many as 50% of people have immune cells called T-cells that develop in response to other seasonal coronaviruses and which have been shown to counter the Covid virus in petri-dish tests. Yet the science here is preliminary and this lab finding may not have any bearing on the pandemic's dynamics.Confronting a dangerous pandemic requires containing spread wherever it is reasonably possible. Sensible measures such as universal masking testing and widespread and rapid contact tracing can help. The best way to protect the vulnerable is to try to protect everyone."";""Scott Gottlieb"";""American Enterprise Institute"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"362;2020-09-01 12:00:00;105;""Trump medical adviser pushes ''herd immunity''"";""Yasmeeen Abutaleb Josh Dawsey"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'The administration faces some pretty serious hurdles in making this argument. One is a lot of people will die even if you can protect people in nursing homes' said Paul Romer a professor at New York University who won the Nobel Prize in economics in 2018. 'Once it's out in the community we've seen over and over again it ends up spreading everywhere.'"";""Paul Romer"";""New York University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"363;2020-09-01 12:00:00;105;""Trump medical adviser pushes ''herd immunity''"";""Yasmeeen Abutaleb Josh Dawsey"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'The administration faces some pretty serious hurdles in making this argument. One is a lot of people will die even if you can protect people in nursing homes' said Paul Romer a professor at New York University who won the Nobel Prize in economics in 2018. 'Once it's out in the community we've seen over and over again it ends up spreading everywhere.'"";""Paul Romer"";""New York University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"364;2020-09-01 12:00:00;105;""Trump medical adviser pushes ''herd immunity''"";""Yasmeeen Abutaleb Josh Dawsey"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'The administration faces some pretty serious hurdles in making this argument. One is a lot of people will die even if you can protect people in nursing homes' said Paul Romer a professor at New York University who won the Nobel Prize in economics in 2018. 'Once it's out in the community we've seen over and over again it ends up spreading everywhere.'"";""Paul Romer"";""New York University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"365;2020-09-01 12:00:00;105;""Trump medical adviser pushes ''herd immunity''"";""Yasmeeen Abutaleb Josh Dawsey"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'There is no policy of the President or this administration of achieving herd immunity. There never has been any such policy recommended to the President or to anyone else from me.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"366;2020-09-01 12:00:00;105;""Trump medical adviser pushes ''herd immunity''"";""Yasmeeen Abutaleb Josh Dawsey"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'When younger healthier people get the disease they don't have a problem with the disease. I'm not sure why that's so difficult for everyone to acknowledge' Atlas said in an interview with Fox News's Brian Kilmeade in July. 'These people getting the infection is not really a problem and in fact as we said months ago when you isolate everyone including all the healthy people you're prolonging the problem because you're preventing population immunity. Low-risk groups getting the infection is not a problem.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"367;2020-09-01 12:00:00;105;""Trump medical adviser pushes ''herd immunity''"";""Yasmeeen Abutaleb Josh Dawsey"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'When younger healthier people get the disease they don't have a problem with the disease. I'm not sure why that's so difficult for everyone to acknowledge' Atlas said in an interview with Fox News's Brian Kilmeade in July. 'These people getting the infection is not really a problem and in fact as we said months ago when you isolate everyone including all the healthy people you're prolonging the problem because you're preventing population immunity. Low-risk groups getting the infection is not a problem.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"368;2020-09-01 12:00:00;105;""Trump medical adviser pushes ''herd immunity''"";""Yasmeeen Abutaleb Josh Dawsey"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'When younger healthier people get the disease they don't have a problem with the disease. I'm not sure why that's so difficult for everyone to acknowledge' Atlas said in an interview with Fox News's Brian Kilmeade in July. 'These people getting the infection is not really a problem and in fact as we said months ago when you isolate everyone including all the healthy people you're prolonging the problem because you're preventing population immunity. Low-risk groups getting the infection is not a problem.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"369;2020-09-01 12:00:00;106;""What is herd immunity and why are Trump officials pursuing an idea WHO calls ''dangerous''?"";""Willian Wan"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""At a news briefing last week World Health Organization officials called pursuing such a herd immunity strategy 'very dangerous.'"";"""";""World Health Organization"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"370;2020-09-01 12:00:00;106;""What is herd immunity and why are Trump officials pursuing an idea WHO calls ''dangerous''?"";""Willian Wan"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'If we think about herd immunity in a natural sense of just letting a virus run it's very dangerous' said Maria Van Kerkhove the WHO's technical lead on the covid- 19 pandemic. 'A lot of people would die.'"";""Maria Van Kerkhove"";""World Health Organization"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"448;2020-09-01 12:00:00;106;""What is herd immunity and why are Trump officials pursuing an idea WHO calls ''dangerous''?"";""Willian Wan"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'If we think about herd immunity in a natural sense of just letting a virus run it's very dangerous' said Maria Van Kerkhove the WHO's technical lead on the covid- 19 pandemic. 'A lot of people would die.'"";""Maria Van Kerkhove"";""World Health Organization"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"371;2020-09-01 12:00:00;106;""What is herd immunity and why are Trump officials pursuing an idea WHO calls ''dangerous''?"";""Willian Wan"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""Soumya Swaminathan WHO's chief scientist said focusing on controlling transmission through public health measures while scientists develop vaccines should be the primary strategy. She pointed out that 'there really hasn't been any infectious disease that has been controlled just by allowing natural immunity to happen.'"";""Soumya Swaminathan"";""World Health Organization"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"372;2020-09-01 12:00:00;106;""What is herd immunity and why are Trump officials pursuing an idea WHO calls ''dangerous''?"";""Willian Wan"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""ut the idea of 'herd immunity' continues to get attention in some quarters: Conservative television host Laura Ingraham has tweeted that pursuing herd immunity was the 'only practical way forward.'"";""Laura Ingraham"";""Fox News"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"373;2020-09-01 12:00:00;106;""What is herd immunity and why are Trump officials pursuing an idea WHO calls ''dangerous''?"";""Willian Wan"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'We'd all like to know how far we are from the end of this' Lipsitch said. 'But no matter what the exact threshold it's largely an academic question because we're nowhere near herd immunity.'"";""Marc Lipsitch"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"449;2020-09-01 12:00:00;106;""What is herd immunity and why are Trump officials pursuing an idea WHO calls ''dangerous''?"";""Willian Wan"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'No wishful thinking is going to make this go away' said Michael Osterholm director of University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.'We can't wait for herd immunity. We can't even wait for a vaccine. We need to be doing everything we can now to reduce transmission. We need plans and national action. We need vision. This isn't something we can keep kicking down the road. We can't keep talking about next month or two months from now. We need action now.'"";""Michael Osterholm"";""University of Minnesota"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"374;2020-09-01 12:00:00;107;""A look at herd immunity a pursuit that WHO officials call ''very dangerous''"";""Willian Wan"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'If we think about herd immunity in a natural sense of just letting a virus run it's very dangerous' said Maria Van Kerkhove the WHO's technical lead on the covid- 19 pandemic. 'A lot of people would die.'"";""Maria Van Kerkhove"";""World Health Organization"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"451;2020-09-01 12:00:00;107;""A look at herd immunity a pursuit that WHO officials call ''very dangerous''"";""Willian Wan"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'If we think about herd immunity in a natural sense of just letting a virus run it's very dangerous' said Maria Van Kerkhove the WHO's technical lead on the covid- 19 pandemic. 'A lot of people would die.'"";""Maria Van Kerkhove"";""World Health Organization"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"375;2020-09-01 12:00:00;107;""A look at herd immunity a pursuit that WHO officials call ''very dangerous''"";""Willian Wan"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""Soumya Swaminathan WHO's chief scientist said focusing on controlling transmission through public health measures while scientists develop vaccines should be the primary strategy. She pointed out that 'there really hasn't been any infectious disease that has been controlled just by allowing natural immunity to happen.'"";""Soumya Swaminathan"";""World Health Organization"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"452;2020-09-01 12:00:00;107;""A look at herd immunity a pursuit that WHO officials call ''very dangerous''"";""Willian Wan"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""Laura Ingraham has tweeted that pursuing herd immunity is the 'only practical way forward.'"";""Laura Ingraham"";""Fox News"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"453;2020-09-01 12:00:00;107;""A look at herd immunity a pursuit that WHO officials call ''very dangerous''"";""Willian Wan"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""Harvard epidemiologist Marc Lipsitch points out that even when a community or a nation gets to herd immunity it will still have cases. 'It doesn't mean cases stop' he said. 'It just means they start to slow down.'"";""Marc Lipsitch"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"454;2020-09-01 12:00:00;107;""A look at herd immunity a pursuit that WHO officials call ''very dangerous''"";""Willian Wan"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'No wishful thinking is going to make this go away' said Michael Osterholm director of University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.'We can't wait for herd immunity. We can't even wait for a vaccine. We need to be doing everything we can now to reduce transmission. We need plans and national action. We need vision. This isn't something we can keep kicking down the road. We can't keep talking about next month or two months from now. We need action now.'"";""Michael Osterholm"";""University of Minnesota"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"354;2020-09-02 12:00:00;102;""Herd Immunity Is Not a Strategy"";""James Hamblin"";""The Atlantic"";"""";"""";""Once you get to a certain number�we use the word herd�once you get to a certain number its going to go away.�"";""Donald Trump"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"669;2020-09-02 12:00:00;102;""Herd Immunity Is Not a Strategy"";""James Hamblin"";""The Atlantic"";"""";"""";""ames Hamblin: What do you make of news about a herd-immunity strategy� reportedly being discussed in the White House?Howard Forman: This is one of these topics that very few people understand. [People] use the term herd immunity� flippantly. Some talk about it as a policy prescription without knowing what it even means. And I think that theres a lot of nuance here. In a situation like this where weve already lost 180000 lives we shouldnt be flippant about things. We should be thinking about how to avoid as much death as possible and resume life as well as possible.Whenever people talk about herd immunity whenever they talk about �ripping the Band-Aid off or any of those things it is an absolutely dangerous idea. Now I think there are lessons to be learned from Sweden and no one should be flippant about saying Sweden was horrific or the worst thing that could have happened. But Sweden ultimately did not pursue the policy that we seem to be pursuing right now.Katherine Wells: I thought they did?Hamblin: Sweden became this reportedly textbook case of using a herd immunity� approach or at least they initially said they were going to.Forman: It started off with Sweden and the United Kingdom talking about pursuing herd immunity. Then England got cold feet and Sweden supposedly proceeded with this but they didnt. Sweden did a lot of things to curtail the spread. What people seem to not understand is that we do things in our country even in some areas that are still shut down� that would not be tolerated in Sweden. They still have a ban on gatherings of 50 people or more.[Read: The U.K.s coronavirus �herd immunity debacle ]Wells: Oh! I feel like the picture of Sweden I have in my mind is everyone outside without masks enjoying the summer all together.Forman: For the most part they are without masks. But they still have a complete ban on visiting retirement homes. They still have a ban on public gatherings of 50 people. Gatherings for religious practice? Banned. Theatrical and cinema performances? Banned. Concerts? Banned. And this is what bothers me. Our president did a rally in Tulsa. That would have been banned in Sweden.Hamblin: So if anything were the country thats maybe closest to this herd immunity� approach? I dont even want to use that term because were doing a lot as well. But no one is honestly just letting the thing run wild as the idea might suggest.Forman: Thats absolutely correct. If you have a good understanding of herd immunity then you know that it means that if we achieve a certain percent of immunity in the population then you cannot get an epidemic outbreak in that community. You can still get spread. You could still have a person come to our country with measles and go into a classroom and somebody will get measles from that person but you will not have a measles outbreak because there are sufficient numbers of people that are immune to measles that in the process of trying to spread the virus will extinguish itself. You might get two or three people infected but it will never take off again. Thats herd immunity. That requires individuals to be truly immune to the virus which means that the virus not only doesnt affect you and cause you to get sick but you actually cant get infected. You cant spread the virus if somebody comes in proximity to you.Wells: And we should mention just always keeping in mind that herd immunity while maybe a relief now would have come at the cost of many lives.Forman: At the cost of many lives and potentially morbidity that we dont know about yet. I say this with a lot of caution but we have no idea whether having had this infection means that ten years from now you have an elevated risk of lymphoma. Theres not any indication that it would but we just dont know. We know that hepatitis C leads to liver cancer. We know that human papillomavirus leads to cervical cancer. We know that HIV leads to certain cancers. I don't want people to panic over that possibility because I think thats unnecessary but just to make the point that we dont know. So even if you thought you could get to a vaccination- equivalent immunity through infection you still run risks beyond the immediate mortality and the immediate morbidity.Hamblin: Right there are things were not seeing that we need to consider. And so without suggesting specifically that this virus is causing cancer we have no idea what the long-term effects will turn out to be and so we don't want to mess around with infecting anyone who doesnt need to be infected.Forman: Right. And by the way theres never been a real case of herd immunity through infection. Wells: For any disease ever?Forman: Correct. In fact the term itself didnt arise until just a few decades ago when we had vaccination programs. There are cases where as large waves of infection passed through communities you had lower levels of outbreak in most years and then you would have epidemic outbreaks other years. That probably is the closest thing but thats not herd immunity. Youre still having outbreaks all the time. Youre just having bigger waves and smaller waves.Wells: The term herd-immunity strategy� makes even less sense to me than it did before.Forman: We know how much testing alone could do to help us here. Combine massive testing with things like masking and social distancing and then you have to ask yourself: Why would you allow people to just die in such large numbers when you have these alternatives that are readily available to us? And that quite frankly could allow us to get much closer to a normal life than we are right now.Wells: Well whats the answer?Forman: Honestly I am at a loss. Im hoping by the end of November the entrepreneurs who have been developing these cheap tests are going to allow us to test at such a massive scale at such a low cost that well be able to substantially impact this in a way that we havent so far. But Im also 100 percent convinced that if our federal government had thought about this back in February and March and decided that they were going to commit even one tenth of the amount of money that they have committed to a vaccine to a cheap testing initiative that we would have already saved tens of thousands of lives and certainly would have saved tens of thousands more going forward.I co-wrote an op-ed two months ago where we said that testing is the vaccine. And at that time I was quarreling about whether we should say $10 or $20 per test as being achievable. Now were talking about $1 to $5 for these tests. This is the way out until we have a vaccine."";""Howard Forman"";""Yale University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"670;2020-09-02 12:00:00;102;""Herd Immunity Is Not a Strategy"";""James Hamblin"";""The Atlantic"";"""";"""";""ames Hamblin: What do you make of news about a herd-immunity strategy� reportedly being discussed in the White House?Howard Forman: This is one of these topics that very few people understand. [People] use the term herd immunity� flippantly. Some talk about it as a policy prescription without knowing what it even means. And I think that theres a lot of nuance here. In a situation like this where weve already lost 180000 lives we shouldnt be flippant about things. We should be thinking about how to avoid as much death as possible and resume life as well as possible.Whenever people talk about herd immunity whenever they talk about �ripping the Band-Aid off or any of those things it is an absolutely dangerous idea. Now I think there are lessons to be learned from Sweden and no one should be flippant about saying Sweden was horrific or the worst thing that could have happened. But Sweden ultimately did not pursue the policy that we seem to be pursuing right now.Katherine Wells: I thought they did?Hamblin: Sweden became this reportedly textbook case of using a herd immunity� approach or at least they initially said they were going to.Forman: It started off with Sweden and the United Kingdom talking about pursuing herd immunity. Then England got cold feet and Sweden supposedly proceeded with this but they didnt. Sweden did a lot of things to curtail the spread. What people seem to not understand is that we do things in our country even in some areas that are still shut down� that would not be tolerated in Sweden. They still have a ban on gatherings of 50 people or more.[Read: The U.K.s coronavirus �herd immunity debacle ]Wells: Oh! I feel like the picture of Sweden I have in my mind is everyone outside without masks enjoying the summer all together.Forman: For the most part they are without masks. But they still have a complete ban on visiting retirement homes. They still have a ban on public gatherings of 50 people. Gatherings for religious practice? Banned. Theatrical and cinema performances? Banned. Concerts? Banned. And this is what bothers me. Our president did a rally in Tulsa. That would have been banned in Sweden.Hamblin: So if anything were the country thats maybe closest to this herd immunity� approach? I dont even want to use that term because were doing a lot as well. But no one is honestly just letting the thing run wild as the idea might suggest.Forman: Thats absolutely correct. If you have a good understanding of herd immunity then you know that it means that if we achieve a certain percent of immunity in the population then you cannot get an epidemic outbreak in that community. You can still get spread. You could still have a person come to our country with measles and go into a classroom and somebody will get measles from that person but you will not have a measles outbreak because there are sufficient numbers of people that are immune to measles that in the process of trying to spread the virus will extinguish itself. You might get two or three people infected but it will never take off again. Thats herd immunity. That requires individuals to be truly immune to the virus which means that the virus not only doesnt affect you and cause you to get sick but you actually cant get infected. You cant spread the virus if somebody comes in proximity to you.Wells: And we should mention just always keeping in mind that herd immunity while maybe a relief now would have come at the cost of many lives.Forman: At the cost of many lives and potentially morbidity that we dont know about yet. I say this with a lot of caution but we have no idea whether having had this infection means that ten years from now you have an elevated risk of lymphoma. Theres not any indication that it would but we just dont know. We know that hepatitis C leads to liver cancer. We know that human papillomavirus leads to cervical cancer. We know that HIV leads to certain cancers. I don't want people to panic over that possibility because I think thats unnecessary but just to make the point that we dont know. So even if you thought you could get to a vaccination- equivalent immunity through infection you still run risks beyond the immediate mortality and the immediate morbidity.Hamblin: Right there are things were not seeing that we need to consider. And so without suggesting specifically that this virus is causing cancer we have no idea what the long-term effects will turn out to be and so we don't want to mess around with infecting anyone who doesnt need to be infected.Forman: Right. And by the way theres never been a real case of herd immunity through infection. Wells: For any disease ever?Forman: Correct. In fact the term itself didnt arise until just a few decades ago when we had vaccination programs. There are cases where as large waves of infection passed through communities you had lower levels of outbreak in most years and then you would have epidemic outbreaks other years. That probably is the closest thing but thats not herd immunity. Youre still having outbreaks all the time. Youre just having bigger waves and smaller waves.Wells: The term herd-immunity strategy� makes even less sense to me than it did before.Forman: We know how much testing alone could do to help us here. Combine massive testing with things like masking and social distancing and then you have to ask yourself: Why would you allow people to just die in such large numbers when you have these alternatives that are readily available to us? And that quite frankly could allow us to get much closer to a normal life than we are right now.Wells: Well whats the answer?Forman: Honestly I am at a loss. Im hoping by the end of November the entrepreneurs who have been developing these cheap tests are going to allow us to test at such a massive scale at such a low cost that well be able to substantially impact this in a way that we havent so far. But Im also 100 percent convinced that if our federal government had thought about this back in February and March and decided that they were going to commit even one tenth of the amount of money that they have committed to a vaccine to a cheap testing initiative that we would have already saved tens of thousands of lives and certainly would have saved tens of thousands more going forward.I co-wrote an op-ed two months ago where we said that testing is the vaccine. And at that time I was quarreling about whether we should say $10 or $20 per test as being achievable. Now were talking about $1 to $5 for these tests. This is the way out until we have a vaccine."";""Howard Forman"";""Yale University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"355;2020-09-02 12:00:00;103;""New Trump pandemic adviser pushes controversial ''herd immunity'' strategy worrying public health officials"";""Yasmeeen Abutaleb Josh Dawsey"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'The administration faces some pretty serious hurdles in making this argument. One is a lot of people will die even if you can protect people in nursing homes' said Paul Romer a professor at New York University who won the Nobel Prize in economics in 2018. 'Once it's out in the community we've seen over and over again it ends up spreading everywhere.'"";""Paul Romer"";""New York University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"356;2020-09-02 12:00:00;103;""New Trump pandemic adviser pushes controversial ''herd immunity'' strategy worrying public health officials"";""Yasmeeen Abutaleb Josh Dawsey"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'The administration faces some pretty serious hurdles in making this argument. One is a lot of people will die even if you can protect people in nursing homes' said Paul Romer a professor at New York University who won the Nobel Prize in economics in 2018. 'Once it's out in the community we've seen over and over again it ends up spreading everywhere.'"";""Paul Romer"";""New York University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"445;2020-09-02 12:00:00;103;""New Trump pandemic adviser pushes controversial ''herd immunity'' strategy worrying public health officials"";""Yasmeeen Abutaleb Josh Dawsey"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'The administration faces some pretty serious hurdles in making this argument. One is a lot of people will die even if you can protect people in nursing homes' said Paul Romer a professor at New York University who won the Nobel Prize in economics in 2018. 'Once it's out in the community we've seen over and over again it ends up spreading everywhere.'"";""Paul Romer"";""New York University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"357;2020-09-02 12:00:00;103;""New Trump pandemic adviser pushes controversial ''herd immunity'' strategy worrying public health officials"";""Yasmeeen Abutaleb Josh Dawsey"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""There is no policy of the President or this administration of achieving herd immunity. There never has been any such policy recommended to the President or to anyone else from me.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"358;2020-09-02 12:00:00;103;""New Trump pandemic adviser pushes controversial ''herd immunity'' strategy worrying public health officials"";""Yasmeeen Abutaleb Josh Dawsey"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'When younger healthier people get the disease they don't have a problem with the disease. I'm not sure why that's so difficult for everyone to acknowledge' Atlas said in an interview with Fox News's Brian Kilmeade in July. 'These people getting the infection is not really a problem and in fact as we said months ago when you isolate everyone including all the healthy people you're prolonging the problem because you're preventing population immunity. Low-risk groups getting the infection is not a problem.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"359;2020-09-02 12:00:00;103;""New Trump pandemic adviser pushes controversial ''herd immunity'' strategy worrying public health officials"";""Yasmeeen Abutaleb Josh Dawsey"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'When younger healthier people get the disease they don't have a problem with the disease. I'm not sure why that's so difficult for everyone to acknowledge' Atlas said in an interview with Fox News's Brian Kilmeade in July. 'These people getting the infection is not really a problem and in fact as we said months ago when you isolate everyone including all the healthy people you're prolonging the problem because you're preventing population immunity. Low-risk groups getting the infection is not a problem.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"446;2020-09-02 12:00:00;103;""New Trump pandemic adviser pushes controversial ''herd immunity'' strategy worrying public health officials"";""Yasmeeen Abutaleb Josh Dawsey"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'When younger healthier people get the disease they don't have a problem with the disease. I'm not sure why that's so difficult for everyone to acknowledge' Atlas said in an interview with Fox News's Brian Kilmeade in July. 'These people getting the infection is not really a problem and in fact as we said months ago when you isolate everyone including all the healthy people you're prolonging the problem because you're preventing population immunity. Low-risk groups getting the infection is not a problem.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"360;2020-09-02 12:00:00;104;""The ''herd immunity'' mirage"";""Unspecified"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'When younger healthier people get the disease they don't have a problem with the disease' he said in July. 'These people getting the infection is really not a problem and in fact as we said months ago when you isolate everyone including all the healthy people you're prolonging the problem because you're preventing population immunity. Low-risk groups getting the infection is not a problem.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"361;2020-09-02 12:00:00;104;""The ''herd immunity'' mirage"";""Unspecified"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'When younger healthier people get the disease they don't have a problem with the disease' he said in July. 'These people getting the infection is really not a problem and in fact as we said months ago when you isolate everyone including all the healthy people you're prolonging the problem because you're preventing population immunity. Low-risk groups getting the infection is not a problem.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"447;2020-09-02 12:00:00;104;""The ''herd immunity'' mirage"";""Unspecified"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'When younger healthier people get the disease they don't have a problem with the disease' he said in July. 'These people getting the infection is really not a problem and in fact as we said months ago when you isolate everyone including all the healthy people you're prolonging the problem because you're preventing population immunity. Low-risk groups getting the infection is not a problem.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"348;2020-09-04 12:00:00;100;""Trump''s Covid Adviser Gets a Washington Welcome Scott W. Atlas makes the case for reopening and says it''s a ''preposterous lie'' thatt h...herd immunity.''"";""Tunku Varadarajan"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""'They've published an overt lie' he says. 'I have never said that to the president. I have never said it to the vice president. It's not an exaggeration it's not a distortion it's just frankly a lie to say that I've done that.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"349;2020-09-04 12:00:00;101;""Reject flawed �herd immunity�� strategy // Letting COVID run its course is a cruel plan that rests on unproven assumptions."";""Unspecified"";""Star-Tribune"";"""";"""";""A better descriptor would be do nothing and let the virus kill off the weak� plan.Eventually COVID-19 would stop spreading because there would be enough survivors of the infection (the herd) and they presumably would have some immune system protection against the pathogen. But this could come at an unacceptable cost: potentially millions of deaths in those with underlying health conditions that make them susceptible to severe infection."";"""";""Minneapolis Start Tribune"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"350;2020-09-04 12:00:00;101;""Reject flawed �herd immunity�� strategy // Letting COVID run its course is a cruel plan that rests on unproven assumptions."";""Unspecified"";""Star-Tribune"";"""";"""";""A better descriptor would be do nothing and let the virus kill off the weak� plan.Eventually COVID-19 would stop spreading because there would be enough survivors of the infection (the herd) and they presumably would have some immune system protection against the pathogen. But this could come at an unacceptable cost: potentially millions of deaths in those with underlying health conditions that make them susceptible to severe infection."";"""";""Minneapolis Start Tribune"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"443;2020-09-04 12:00:00;101;""Reject flawed �herd immunity�� strategy // Letting COVID run its course is a cruel plan that rests on unproven assumptions."";""Unspecified"";""Star-Tribune"";"""";"""";""A better descriptor would be do nothing and let the virus kill off the weak� plan.Eventually COVID-19 would stop spreading because there would be enough survivors of the infection (the herd) and they presumably would have some immune system protection against the pathogen. But this could come at an unacceptable cost: potentially millions of deaths in those with underlying health conditions that make them susceptible to severe infection."";"""";""Minneapolis Start Tribune"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"444;2020-09-04 12:00:00;101;""Reject flawed �herd immunity�� strategy // Letting COVID run its course is a cruel plan that rests on unproven assumptions."";""Unspecified"";""Star-Tribune"";"""";"""";""Scott Atlas forcefully pushed back on reports that he is advocating policies rooted in this approach. The neuroradiologist said this is an overt lie� during a Tuesday CNN interview."";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"351;2020-09-04 12:00:00;101;""Reject flawed �herd immunity�� strategy // Letting COVID run its course is a cruel plan that rests on unproven assumptions."";""Unspecified"";""Star-Tribune"";"""";"""";""The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) which represents over 12000 physicians and scientists told an editorial writer this week that IDSA is notsupportive of the herd immunity approach to addressing this pandemic.�"";"""";""Infectious Diseases Society of America"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"352;2020-09-04 12:00:00;101;""Reject flawed �herd immunity�� strategy // Letting COVID run its course is a cruel plan that rests on unproven assumptions."";""Unspecified"";""Star-Tribune"";"""";"""";""The University of Minnesotas Dr. Tim Schacker called naturally acquired herd immunity a terrible strategy� noting the potentially huge cost� to human life for anapproach that may or may not work.�"";""Tim Schacker"";""University of Minnesota"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"353;2020-09-04 12:00:00;101;""Reject flawed �herd immunity�� strategy // Letting COVID run its course is a cruel plan that rests on unproven assumptions."";""Unspecified"";""Star-Tribune"";"""";"""";""The University of Minnesotas Dr. Tim Schacker called naturally acquired herd immunity a terrible strategy� noting the potentially huge cost� to human life for anapproach that may or may not work.�"";""Tim Schacker"";""University of Minnesota"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"342;2020-09-05 12:00:00;99;""REJECT ''HERD IMMUNITY'' STRATEGY LETTING VIRUS RUN WILD HAS UNACCEPTABLE COSTS"";""Unspecified"";""Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"";"""";"""";""Its benign name - naturally acquired 'herd immunity' - belies the cruelty at the heart of this approach. A better descriptor would be 'do nothing and let the virus kill off the weak' plan.Eventually COVID-19 would stop spreading because there would be enough survivors of the infection (the herd) and they presumably would have some immune system protection against the pathogen. But this could come at an unacceptable cost: potentially millions of deaths in those with underlying health conditions that make them susceptible to severe infection."";""Minneapolis Star Tribune"";""Minneapolis Star Tribune"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"343;2020-09-05 12:00:00;99;""REJECT ''HERD IMMUNITY'' STRATEGY LETTING VIRUS RUN WILD HAS UNACCEPTABLE COSTS"";""Unspecified"";""Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"";"""";"""";""Its benign name - naturally acquired 'herd immunity' - belies the cruelty at the heart of this approach. A better descriptor would be 'do nothing and let the virus kill off the weak' plan.Eventually COVID-19 would stop spreading because there would be enough survivors of the infection (the herd) and they presumably would have some immune system protection against the pathogen. But this could come at an unacceptable cost: potentially millions of deaths in those with underlying health conditions that make them susceptible to severe infection."";""Minneapolis Star Tribune"";""Minneapolis Star Tribune"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"344;2020-09-05 12:00:00;99;""REJECT ''HERD IMMUNITY'' STRATEGY LETTING VIRUS RUN WILD HAS UNACCEPTABLE COSTS"";""Unspecified"";""Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"";"""";"""";""Its benign name - naturally acquired 'herd immunity' - belies the cruelty at the heart of this approach. A better descriptor would be 'do nothing and let the virus kill off the weak' plan.Eventually COVID-19 would stop spreading because there would be enough survivors of the infection (the herd) and they presumably would have some immune system protection against the pathogen. But this could come at an unacceptable cost: potentially millions of deaths in those with underlying health conditions that make them susceptible to severe infection."";""Minneapolis Star Tribune"";""Minneapolis Star Tribune"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"442;2020-09-05 12:00:00;99;""REJECT ''HERD IMMUNITY'' STRATEGY LETTING VIRUS RUN WILD HAS UNACCEPTABLE COSTS"";""Unspecified"";""Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"";"""";"""";""his week the new White House medical adviser Dr. Scott Atlas forcefully pushed back on reports that he is advocating policies rooted in this approach. The neuroradiologist said this is 'an overt lie' during a Tuesday CNN interview."";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"345;2020-09-05 12:00:00;99;""REJECT ''HERD IMMUNITY'' STRATEGY LETTING VIRUS RUN WILD HAS UNACCEPTABLE COSTS"";""Unspecified"";""Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"";"""";"""";""The Infectious Diseases Society of America or IDSA which represents over 12000 physicians and scientists told an editorial writer this week that 'IDSA is notsupportive of the herd immunity approach to addressing this pandemic.'"";""Infectious Diseases Society of America"";""Infectious Diseases Society of America"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"346;2020-09-05 12:00:00;99;""REJECT ''HERD IMMUNITY'' STRATEGY LETTING VIRUS RUN WILD HAS UNACCEPTABLE COSTS"";""Unspecified"";""Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"";"""";"""";""The University of Minnesota's Dr. Tim Schacker called naturally acquired herd immunity a 'terrible strategy' noting the potentially 'huge cost' to human life for anapproach that 'may or may not work.'"";""Tim Schacker"";""University of Minnesota"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"347;2020-09-05 12:00:00;99;""REJECT ''HERD IMMUNITY'' STRATEGY LETTING VIRUS RUN WILD HAS UNACCEPTABLE COSTS"";""Unspecified"";""Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"";"""";"""";""The University of Minnesota's Dr. Tim Schacker called naturally acquired herd immunity a 'terrible strategy' noting the potentially 'huge cost' to human life for anapproach that 'may or may not work.'"";""Tim Schacker"";""University of Minnesota"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"328;2020-09-07 12:00:00;98;""Herd immunity is no response to COVID President Trump''s new coronavirus adviser is spreading irresponsible ideas."";""Unspecified"";""Portland Press Herald"";"""";"""";""Atlas has asserted that young people have little or no risk. 'When younger healthier people get the disease they don't have a problem with the disease' he said in July. 'These people getting the infection is really not a problem and in fact as we said months ago when you isolate everyone including all the healthy people you're prolonging the problem because you're preventing population immunity. Low-risk groups getting the infection is not a problem.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"340;2020-09-07 12:00:00;98;""Herd immunity is no response to COVID President Trump''s new coronavirus adviser is spreading irresponsible ideas."";""Unspecified"";""Portland Press Herald"";"""";"""";""Atlas has asserted that young people have little or no risk. 'When younger healthier people get the disease they don't have a problem with the disease' he said in July. 'These people getting the infection is really not a problem and in fact as we said months ago when you isolate everyone including all the healthy people you're prolonging the problem because you're preventing population immunity. Low-risk groups getting the infection is not a problem.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"341;2020-09-07 12:00:00;98;""Herd immunity is no response to COVID President Trump''s new coronavirus adviser is spreading irresponsible ideas."";""Unspecified"";""Portland Press Herald"";"""";"""";""Atlas has asserted that young people have little or no risk. 'When younger healthier people get the disease they don't have a problem with the disease' he said in July. 'These people getting the infection is really not a problem and in fact as we said months ago when you isolate everyone including all the healthy people you're prolonging the problem because you're preventing population immunity. Low-risk groups getting the infection is not a problem.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"334;2020-09-16 12:00:00;96;""''Herd mentality'': Trump says US ''rounding the corner'' on coronavirus doctors and scientists disagree"";""Savannah Behrmann"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'Sure over a period of time. Sure with time it goes away --' Trump responded.Stephanopoulos interjected: '--And many deaths.''And you'll develop you'll develop herd -- like a herd mentality. It's going to be -- it's going to be herd developed - and that's going to happen. That will all happen' Trump said."";""Donald Trump"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"327;2020-09-16 12:00:00;96;""''Herd mentality'': Trump says US ''rounding the corner'' on coronavirus doctors and scientists disagree"";""Savannah Behrmann"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Dr. Anthony Fauci Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health who is the nation's leading infectious disease expert has said the death toll would be enormous� if the country attempted herd immunity."";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"335;2020-09-16 12:00:00;96;""''Herd mentality'': Trump says US ''rounding the corner'' on coronavirus doctors and scientists disagree"";""Savannah Behrmann"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Dr. Anthony Fauci Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health who is the nation's leading infectious disease expert has said the death toll would be enormous� if the country attempted herd immunity."";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"336;2020-09-16 12:00:00;96;""''Herd mentality'': Trump says US ''rounding the corner'' on coronavirus doctors and scientists disagree"";""Savannah Behrmann"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'The herd immunity so-called theory was something made up in the fanciful minds of the media. That was never something that was ever considered here at the White House' press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters during a White House Press briefing."";""Kayleigh McEnany"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"337;2020-09-16 12:00:00;96;""''Herd mentality'': Trump says US ''rounding the corner'' on coronavirus doctors and scientists disagree"";""Savannah Behrmann"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'This is the *current* PRESIDENT of the United States whose charged with keeping the American people safe. This would literally mean millions of deaths.'"";""Andrew Bates"";""Biden Campaign"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"338;2020-09-16 12:00:00;96;""''Herd mentality'': Trump says US ''rounding the corner'' on coronavirus doctors and scientists disagree"";""Savannah Behrmann"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'This is the *current* PRESIDENT of the United States whose charged with keeping the American people safe. This would literally mean millions of deaths.'"";""Andrew Bates"";""Biden Campaign"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"339;2020-09-16 12:00:00;97;""Coronavirus updates: Donald Trump denies downplaying virus Texas nears 700K cases India surpasses 5M cases 195K US deaths"";""Jessica Flores"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Trump once again said the virus would 'disappear' with or without a vaccine through what he called a 'herd mentality' referencing herd immunity."";""Donald Trump"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"330;2020-09-20 12:00:00;95;""What It Would Take for Herd Immunity to Stop the Coronavirus Pandemic Wider community protection could be closer than we think some experts say but there are challenges even wi..."";""Brianna Abbot Jason Douglas"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""'If we're talking about letting the disease run its course [and] infect large numbers of people essentially what we're saying is the public-health system has failed to do its job' said Nadia Abuelezam an infectious-disease epidemiologist at Boston College. 'We'll have a lot of death and we'll have a lot of morbidity.'"";""Nadia Abuelezam"";""Boston College"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"331;2020-09-20 12:00:00;95;""What It Would Take for Herd Immunity to Stop the Coronavirus Pandemic Wider community protection could be closer than we think some experts say but there are challenges even wi..."";""Brianna Abbot Jason Douglas"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""'If we're talking about letting the disease run its course [and] infect large numbers of people essentially what we're saying is the public-health system has failed to do its job' said Nadia Abuelezam an infectious-disease epidemiologist at Boston College. 'We'll have a lot of death and we'll have a lot of morbidity.'"";""Nadia Abuelezam"";""Boston College"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"332;2020-09-20 12:00:00;95;""What It Would Take for Herd Immunity to Stop the Coronavirus Pandemic Wider community protection could be closer than we think some experts say but there are challenges even wi..."";""Brianna Abbot Jason Douglas"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""'But it's a dangerous thing to base your strategy on' said Dr. Omer. 'There's still enough tinder to be burned.'"";""Saad Omer"";""Yale University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"333;2020-09-20 12:00:00;95;""What It Would Take for Herd Immunity to Stop the Coronavirus Pandemic Wider community protection could be closer than we think some experts say but there are challenges even wi..."";""Brianna Abbot Jason Douglas"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""'At this point I would not bank on herd immunity in most areas on this planet' Florian Krammer a professor in vaccinology at the Icahn School of Medicine at MountSinai in New York said during a panel recently at the online Aspen Ideas health festival."";""Florian Kramer"";""Icahn School of Medicine"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"326;2020-09-21 12:00:00;94;""U.S. News: Herd Immunity Remains Far Off --- Threshold is critical in virus fight but goal is difficult to pinpoint and will cost more lives"";""Brianna Abbot Jason Douglas"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""'If we're talking about letting the disease run its course [and] infect large numbers of people essentially what we're saying is the public-health system has failed to do its job' said Nadia Abuelezam an infectious-disease epidemiologist at Boston College. 'We'll have a lot of death and we'll have a lot of morbidity.'"";""Nadia Abuelezam"";""Boston College"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"329;2020-09-21 12:00:00;94;""U.S. News: Herd Immunity Remains Far Off --- Threshold is critical in virus fight but goal is difficult to pinpoint and will cost more lives"";""Brianna Abbot Jason Douglas"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""'If we're talking about letting the disease run its course [and] infect large numbers of people essentially what we're saying is the public-health system has failed to do its job' said Nadia Abuelezam an infectious-disease epidemiologist at Boston College. 'We'll have a lot of death and we'll have a lot of morbidity.'"";""Nadia Abuelezam"";""Boston College"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"318;2020-09-24 12:00:00;90;""Watch as Anthony Fauci hits back at Rand Paul over herd immunity: �You��re not listening�� Sen. Rand Paul countered that �I take Dr. Fauci to task�� in the viral Senate hearing video."";""Nicole Lyn Pesce"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""Paul again countered that the test-positive rate may also have simply dropped because the population developed enough community immunity that theyre no longer having the pandemic because they have enough immunity in New York City to actually stop.�"";""Rand Paul"";""United States Senate"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"319;2020-09-24 12:00:00;90;""Watch as Anthony Fauci hits back at Rand Paul over herd immunity: �You��re not listening�� Sen. Rand Paul countered that �I take Dr. Fauci to task�� in the viral Senate hearing video."";""Nicole Lyn Pesce"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""Fauci interrupted: I challenge that senator� noting to the moderator that this happens with Sen. Rand all the time.�You are not listening to what the director of the CDC said that in New York [the infection rate is] about 22%� Fauci said. If you believe 22% is herd immunity I believe youre alone in that.�"";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"320;2020-09-24 12:00:00;91;""Attorney Takes Goats to Governor in ''Grim Reaper'' Protest Tour"";""Raychel Lean"";""Palm Beach Daily Business Review"";"""";"""";""'Herd immunity is not a substitute for better testing tracing and treatment which DeSantis has not delivered on' Uhlfelder said. 'Herd immunity would result in millions of people dying and it's uniquely bad for Florida because over 20% of our population are seniors.'In addition to the goats there will be doctors who'll present the 'morbid but informative' consequences herd immunity could have. The event will take place outdoors and Uhlfelder said participants will be wearing masks and social distancing."";""Daniel Uhlfelder"";"""";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"321;2020-09-24 12:00:00;91;""Attorney Takes Goats to Governor in ''Grim Reaper'' Protest Tour"";""Raychel Lean"";""Palm Beach Daily Business Review"";"""";"""";""'Herd immunity is not a substitute for better testing tracing and treatment which DeSantis has not delivered on' Uhlfelder said. 'Herd immunity would result in millions of people dying and it's uniquely bad for Florida because over 20% of our population are seniors.'In addition to the goats there will be doctors who'll present the 'morbid but informative' consequences herd immunity could have. The event will take place outdoors and Uhlfelder said participants will be wearing masks and social distancing."";""Daniel Uhlfelder"";"""";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"322;2020-09-24 12:00:00;92;""Attorney Takes Goats to Governor in ''Grim Reaper'' Protest Tour"";""Raychel Lean"";""Miami Daily Business Review"";"""";"""";""'Herd immunity is not a substitute for better testing tracing and treatment which DeSantis has not delivered on' Uhlfelder said. 'Herd immunity would result in millions of people dying and it's uniquely bad for Florida because over 20% of our population are seniors.'"";""Daniel Uhlfelder"";"""";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"323;2020-09-24 12:00:00;92;""Attorney Takes Goats to Governor in ''Grim Reaper'' Protest Tour"";""Raychel Lean"";""Miami Daily Business Review"";"""";"""";""'Herd immunity is not a substitute for better testing tracing and treatment which DeSantis has not delivered on' Uhlfelder said. 'Herd immunity would result in millions of people dying and it's uniquely bad for Florida because over 20% of our population are seniors.'"";""Daniel Uhlfelder"";"""";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"324;2020-09-24 12:00:00;93;""Attorney Takes Goats to Governor in ''Grim Reaper'' Protest Tour"";""Raychel Lean"";""Broward Daily Business Review"";"""";"""";""'Herd immunity is not a substitute for better testing tracing and treatment which DeSantis has not delivered on' Uhlfelder said. 'Herd immunity would result in millions of people dying and it's uniquely bad for Florida because over 20% of our population are seniors.'"";""Daniel Uhlfelder"";"""";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"325;2020-09-24 12:00:00;93;""Attorney Takes Goats to Governor in ''Grim Reaper'' Protest Tour"";""Raychel Lean"";""Broward Daily Business Review"";"""";"""";""'Herd immunity is not a substitute for better testing tracing and treatment which DeSantis has not delivered on' Uhlfelder said. 'Herd immunity would result in millions of people dying and it's uniquely bad for Florida because over 20% of our population are seniors.'"";""Daniel Uhlfelder"";"""";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"317;2020-09-25 12:00:00;89;""About 9% of Americans exposed to COVID-19 by midsummer. That''s a long way from herd immunity."";""Karen Weintraub"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'The only way we're going to get to herd immunity unless you're in a very closed community like a prison is for everybody to get vaccinated' Rutherford said."";""George Rutherford"";""University of California San Francisco"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"315;2020-09-26 12:00:00;88;""GOP social Darwinists buy into illusion of COVID herd immunity That avowed pro-lifers are advocating letting the unfit perish for the sake of the fit is nothing short of paradoxical."";""Unspecified"";""Portland Press Herald"";"""";"""";""The administration's new pandemic adviser Scott Atlas advocates somehow 'safely reopening the economy' and letting the disease spread while simultaneously protecting 'the known vulnerable' never mind that everyone is vulnerable at some level."";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"316;2020-09-26 12:00:00;88;""GOP social Darwinists buy into illusion of COVID herd immunity That avowed pro-lifers are advocating letting the unfit perish for the sake of the fit is nothing short of paradoxical."";""Unspecified"";""Portland Press Herald"";"""";"""";""The administration's new pandemic adviser Scott Atlas advocates somehow 'safely reopening the economy' and letting the disease spread while simultaneously protecting 'the known vulnerable' never mind that everyone is vulnerable at some level."";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"311;2020-09-27 12:00:00;87;""What herd immunity means �� and why it��s not a good idea amid pandemic"";""Bethany Ao"";""The Philadelphia Inquirer"";"""";"""";""LeVasseur: In theory it can. It depends on the pathogen. With COVID-19 there are so many things we still dont know. One thing weve seen is that when people are infected their antibody response only lasts for three to four months. Thats on track with what weve seen with other coronaviruses. The second issue is that we have confirmed reports of people being reinfected with COVID-19. The idea of exposing 70% of the population at the same time to get herd immunity is such a failing of public health. The number of people who are going to die is staggering. Its like throwing the baby out with the bathwater setting it on fire and running it over with a truck."";""Michael LeVasseur"";""Drexel University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"312;2020-09-27 12:00:00;87;""What herd immunity means �� and why it��s not a good idea amid pandemic"";""Bethany Ao"";""The Philadelphia Inquirer"";"""";"""";""LeVasseur: In theory it can. It depends on the pathogen. With COVID-19 there are so many things we still dont know. One thing weve seen is that when people are infected their antibody response only lasts for three to four months. Thats on track with what weve seen with other coronaviruses. The second issue is that we have confirmed reports of people being reinfected with COVID-19. The idea of exposing 70% of the population at the same time to get herd immunity is such a failing of public health. The number of people who are going to die is staggering. Its like throwing the baby out with the bathwater setting it on fire and running it over with a truck."";""Michael LeVasseur"";""Drexel University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"313;2020-09-27 12:00:00;87;""What herd immunity means �� and why it��s not a good idea amid pandemic"";""Bethany Ao"";""The Philadelphia Inquirer"";"""";"""";""Fraimow: There are several reasons why thats not a great strategy. Even though the risk of serious disease in younger individuals is lower than in older individuals or the immunocompromised there are still people in that group who get severely ill and die. Were not great at separating out people who arent at risk from people who are at risk. For example if a lot of disease is spreading among college students most of whom who will be fine with the virus we have to consider that they all have families and contacts. Some of those people will get infected and they may then infect other people who are at risk. Another problem is that we dont fully understand what the duration of immunity is. All those things create some concerns about how this concept of herd immunity works.If were going to rely on natural infection to bring about herd immunity even in places where theres been high rates of infection the percentage of population that has been infected and is immune is still well below the numbers that are needed to achieve herd immunity. In the process of exposing lots of people to infection we still are going to do what weve already done which is overwhelm health care systems with sick people."";""Henry Fraimow"";""Cooper University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"314;2020-09-27 12:00:00;87;""What herd immunity means �� and why it��s not a good idea amid pandemic"";""Bethany Ao"";""The Philadelphia Inquirer"";"""";"""";""Fraimow: There are several reasons why thats not a great strategy. Even though the risk of serious disease in younger individuals is lower than in older individuals or the immunocompromised there are still people in that group who get severely ill and die. Were not great at separating out people who arent at risk from people who are at risk. For example if a lot of disease is spreading among college students most of whom who will be fine with the virus we have to consider that they all have families and contacts. Some of those people will get infected and they may then infect other people who are at risk. Another problem is that we dont fully understand what the duration of immunity is. All those things create some concerns about how this concept of herd immunity works.If were going to rely on natural infection to bring about herd immunity even in places where theres been high rates of infection the percentage of population that has been infected and is immune is still well below the numbers that are needed to achieve herd immunity. In the process of exposing lots of people to infection we still are going to do what weve already done which is overwhelm health care systems with sick people."";""Henry Fraimow"";""Cooper University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"440;2020-09-27 12:00:00;87;""What herd immunity means �� and why it��s not a good idea amid pandemic"";""Bethany Ao"";""The Philadelphia Inquirer"";"""";"""";""Fraimow: There are several reasons why thats not a great strategy. Even though the risk of serious disease in younger individuals is lower than in older individuals or the immunocompromised there are still people in that group who get severely ill and die. Were not great at separating out people who arent at risk from people who are at risk. For example if a lot of disease is spreading among college students most of whom who will be fine with the virus we have to consider that they all have families and contacts. Some of those people will get infected and they may then infect other people who are at risk. Another problem is that we dont fully understand what the duration of immunity is. All those things create some concerns about how this concept of herd immunity works.If were going to rely on natural infection to bring about herd immunity even in places where theres been high rates of infection the percentage of population that has been infected and is immune is still well below the numbers that are needed to achieve herd immunity. In the process of exposing lots of people to infection we still are going to do what weve already done which is overwhelm health care systems with sick people."";""Henry Fraimow"";""Cooper University"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"441;2020-09-27 12:00:00;87;""What herd immunity means �� and why it��s not a good idea amid pandemic"";""Bethany Ao"";""The Philadelphia Inquirer"";"""";"""";""Fraimow: There are several reasons why thats not a great strategy. Even though the risk of serious disease in younger individuals is lower than in older individuals or the immunocompromised there are still people in that group who get severely ill and die. Were not great at separating out people who arent at risk from people who are at risk. For example if a lot of disease is spreading among college students most of whom who will be fine with the virus we have to consider that they all have families and contacts. Some of those people will get infected and they may then infect other people who are at risk. Another problem is that we dont fully understand what the duration of immunity is. All those things create some concerns about how this concept of herd immunity works.If were going to rely on natural infection to bring about herd immunity even in places where theres been high rates of infection the percentage of population that has been infected and is immune is still well below the numbers that are needed to achieve herd immunity. In the process of exposing lots of people to infection we still are going to do what weve already done which is overwhelm health care systems with sick people."";""Henry Fraimow"";""Cooper University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"310;2020-09-28 12:00:00;86;""Study: US nowhere near herd immunity"";""Karen Weintraub"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'The only way we're going to get to herd immunity unless you're in a very closed community like a prison is for everybody to get vaccinated' Rutherford said."";""George Rutherford"";""University of California San Francisco"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"307;2020-09-29 12:00:00;83;""Coronavirus Briefing: What Happened Today"";""Jonathan Wolfe Amelia Nierenberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""If we all took off our masks and went back into hanging out in bars and piling into the offices and subways hundreds of thousands more of us would die� Donald said."";""Donald McNeil Jr"";""The New York Times"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"439;2020-09-29 12:00:00;83;""Coronavirus Briefing: What Happened Today"";""Jonathan Wolfe Amelia Nierenberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""If we all took off our masks and went back into hanging out in bars and piling into the offices and subways hundreds of thousands more of us would die� Donald said."";""Donald McNeil Jr"";""The New York Times"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"308;2020-09-29 12:00:00;84;""The pandemic is far from over experts say despite Trump allies�� claims."";""Donald G McNeil Jr"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""The idea that herd immunity will happen at 10 or 20 percent is just nonsense� said Dr. Christopher J.L. Murray  director of the University of Washingtons Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation  which produced the epidemic model frequently cited during White House news briefings as the epidemic hit hard in the spring."";""Christopher Murray"";""University of Washington"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"309;2020-09-29 12:00:00;84;""The pandemic is far from over experts say despite Trump allies�� claims."";""Donald G McNeil Jr"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""It appears to be behind Mr. Trumps recent remarks that the pandemic is rounding the corner � and would go away even without the vaccine .�"";""Donald Trump"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"301;2020-09-30 12:00:00;82;""Claims of Herd Immunity Called ''Nonsense'' as Well as Dangerous"";""Donald G McNeil Jr"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""'The idea that herd immunity will happen at 10 or 20 percent is just nonsense'' said Dr. Christopher J.L. Murray director of the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation which produced the epidemic model frequently cited during White House news briefings as the epidemic hit hard in the spring."";""Christopher Murray"";""University of Washington"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"302;2020-09-30 12:00:00;82;""Claims of Herd Immunity Called ''Nonsense'' as Well as Dangerous"";""Donald G McNeil Jr"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";"" It appears to be behind Mr. Trump's recent remarks that the pandemic is ''rounding the corner'' and ''would go away even without the vaccine.''"";""Donald Trump"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"303;2020-09-30 12:00:00;82;""Claims of Herd Immunity Called ''Nonsense'' as Well as Dangerous"";""Donald G McNeil Jr"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""''Immunity in 2020 is no closer to being just around the corner than prosperity was in 1930'' said Dr. Thomas R. Frieden a former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ''The route to immunity without a vaccine would be through graveyards filled with hundreds of thousands of Americans who did not have to die.''"";""Tom Frieden"";""Resolve to Save Lives"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"304;2020-09-30 12:00:00;82;""Claims of Herd Immunity Called ''Nonsense'' as Well as Dangerous"";""Donald G McNeil Jr"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""''Immunity in 2020 is no closer to being just around the corner than prosperity was in 1930'' said Dr. Thomas R. Frieden a former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ''The route to immunity without a vaccine would be through graveyards filled with hundreds of thousands of Americans who did not have to die.''"";""Tom Frieden"";""Resolve to Save Lives"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"305;2020-09-30 12:00:00;82;""Claims of Herd Immunity Called ''Nonsense'' as Well as Dangerous"";""Donald G McNeil Jr"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""Dr. Fauci quickly countered: ''If you believe 22 percent is herd immunity I believe you're alone in that.''"";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"438;2020-09-30 12:00:00;82;""Claims of Herd Immunity Called ''Nonsense'' as Well as Dangerous"";""Donald G McNeil Jr"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""In a later interview Dr. Fauci said that he ''knew of no scientific evidence'' that common cold-derived T-cells protect against infection with SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore he added any contention that the pandemic was dying out ''makes absolutely no sense at all.''"";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"306;2020-09-30 12:00:00;82;""Claims of Herd Immunity Called ''Nonsense'' as Well as Dangerous"";""Donald G McNeil Jr"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""Mr. Cummins a chemical engineer who typically posts videos about diet and heart disease used numerous slides of cases and deaths to argue that the epidemic had ''largely ended'' by June in Europe and by late summer in the United States.The virus he said harmed the 20 percent who were vulnerable whereas ''80 percent are already de facto immune through cross-immunity T-cell mucosal immunity from prior coronaviruses.'' Masks and lockdowns had little impact he claimed despite abundant evidence from conventional scientists. ''Sorry guys'' he added with a note of disdain. ''Science is tough that way.''"";""Ivor Cummins"";"""";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"299;2020-10-03 12:00:00;81;""Herd immunity is possible but cost is high"";""Eve Glazier Elizabeth Ko"";""Daily Herald"";"""";"""";""Researchers estimate that at least 60% to 70% of the population will have to become immune to the novel coronavirus in order to achieve herd immunity. Unfortunately we dont yet have a vaccine to achieve that. That means the only path to herd immunity at this time is for a significant portion of the populace to become infected. Based on the current U.S. population were talking about almost 200 million adults and children becoming infected with the novel coronavirus in order to achieve herd immunity.As we write this the total number of novel coronavirus infections in the U.S. has just passed 6.5 million far short of the 200 million needed for herd immunity. The disease has already caused more than 200000 deaths since the start of the year and it has left many survivors with serious and lingering health conditions. So you can see that while achieving herd immunity through natural infection theoretically is possible it would come at an unbearable price."";""Eve Glazier"";""University of California Los Angeles"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"300;2020-10-03 12:00:00;81;""Herd immunity is possible but cost is high"";""Eve Glazier Elizabeth Ko"";""Daily Herald"";"""";"""";""Researchers estimate that at least 60% to 70% of the population will have to become immune to the novel coronavirus in order to achieve herd immunity. Unfortunately we dont yet have a vaccine to achieve that. That means the only path to herd immunity at this time is for a significant portion of the populace to become infected. Based on the current U.S. population were talking about almost 200 million adults and children becoming infected with the novel coronavirus in order to achieve herd immunity.As we write this the total number of novel coronavirus infections in the U.S. has just passed 6.5 million far short of the 200 million needed for herd immunity. The disease has already caused more than 200000 deaths since the start of the year and it has left many survivors with serious and lingering health conditions. So you can see that while achieving herd immunity through natural infection theoretically is possible it would come at an unbearable price."";""Eve Glazier"";""University of California Los Angeles"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"297;2020-10-05 12:00:00;80;""Doctors: Flu season to be more frightening"";""Eve Glazier Elizabeth Ko"";""Daily Herald"";"""";"""";""Researchers estimate that at least 60% to 70% of the population will have to become immune to the novel coronavirus in order to achieve herd immunity. Unfortunately we dont yet have a vaccine to achieve that. That means the only path to herd immunity at this time is for a significant portion of the populace to become infected. Based on the current U.S. population were talking about almost 200 million adults and children becoming infected with the novel coronavirus in order to achieve herd immunity.As we write this the total number of novel coronavirus infections in the U.S. has just passed 6.5 million far short of the 200 million needed for herd immunity. The disease has already caused more than 200000 deaths since the start of the year and it has left many survivors with serious and lingering health conditions. So you can see that while achieving herd immunity through natural infection theoretically is possible it would come at an unbearable price."";""Eve Glazier"";""University of California Los Angeles"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"298;2020-10-05 12:00:00;80;""Doctors: Flu season to be more frightening"";""Eve Glazier Elizabeth Ko"";""Daily Herald"";"""";"""";""Researchers estimate that at least 60% to 70% of the population will have to become immune to the novel coronavirus in order to achieve herd immunity. Unfortunately we dont yet have a vaccine to achieve that. That means the only path to herd immunity at this time is for a significant portion of the populace to become infected. Based on the current U.S. population were talking about almost 200 million adults and children becoming infected with the novel coronavirus in order to achieve herd immunity.As we write this the total number of novel coronavirus infections in the U.S. has just passed 6.5 million far short of the 200 million needed for herd immunity. The disease has already caused more than 200000 deaths since the start of the year and it has left many survivors with serious and lingering health conditions. So you can see that while achieving herd immunity through natural infection theoretically is possible it would come at an unbearable price."";""Eve Glazier"";""University of California Los Angeles"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"289;2020-10-11 12:00:00;79;""Proposal to hasten herd immunity to covid-19 grabs attention but appalls top scientists"";""Joel Achenbach"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk' the declaration states."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"290;2020-10-11 12:00:00;79;""Proposal to hasten herd immunity to covid-19 grabs attention but appalls top scientists"";""Joel Achenbach"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk' the declaration states."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"435;2020-10-11 12:00:00;79;""Proposal to hasten herd immunity to covid-19 grabs attention but appalls top scientists"";""Joel Achenbach"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk' the declaration states."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"291;2020-10-11 12:00:00;79;""Proposal to hasten herd immunity to covid-19 grabs attention but appalls top scientists"";""Joel Achenbach"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""Kulldorff said a shortening of the pandemic would also make restrictions on the elderly who must be sheltered more sustainable.'Lockdowns push the pandemic forward in time. You're just sort of delaying the cases. The longer you delay it the more difficult it will be for the older people to protect themselves. To stay home for three months is easier than to do it for a whole year or two years' he said."";""Martin Kulldorf"";""Harvard University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"292;2020-10-11 12:00:00;79;""Proposal to hasten herd immunity to covid-19 grabs attention but appalls top scientists"";""Joel Achenbach"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""Kulldorff said a shortening of the pandemic would also make restrictions on the elderly who must be sheltered more sustainable.'Lockdowns push the pandemic forward in time. You're just sort of delaying the cases. The longer you delay it the more difficult it will be for the older people to protect themselves. To stay home for three months is easier than to do it for a whole year or two years' he said."";""Martin Kulldorf"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"436;2020-10-11 12:00:00;79;""Proposal to hasten herd immunity to covid-19 grabs attention but appalls top scientists"";""Joel Achenbach"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""Kulldorff said a shortening of the pandemic would also make restrictions on the elderly who must be sheltered more sustainable.'Lockdowns push the pandemic forward in time. You're just sort of delaying the cases. The longer you delay it the more difficult it will be for the older people to protect themselves. To stay home for three months is easier than to do it for a whole year or two years' he said."";""Martin Kulldorf"";""Harvard University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"293;2020-10-11 12:00:00;79;""Proposal to hasten herd immunity to covid-19 grabs attention but appalls top scientists"";""Joel Achenbach"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'This is a fringe component of epidemiology. This is not mainstream science. It's dangerous. It fits into the political views of certain parts of our confused political establishment' Collins said. 'I'm sure it will be an idea that someone can wrap themselves in as a justification for skipping wearing masks or social distancing and just doing whatever they damn well please.'"";""Francis Collins"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"294;2020-10-11 12:00:00;79;""Proposal to hasten herd immunity to covid-19 grabs attention but appalls top scientists"";""Joel Achenbach"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'Really? You think that's going to happen?' asked William Hanage an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. 'Who would work in the hotel? Presumably the people you are encouraging to become infected.'Which brings up the issue of hospitals he said: 'What do you do for the sort of younger populations who need health care themselves? Are you going to have separate hospitals for young people and older people?'The key problem Hanage said is that when viral transmission increases among young people it raises the risk for more vulnerable populations simply because this is a highly contagious pathogen.'The declaration is essentially arguing that nobody should have their lives interfered with if they are not themselves vulnerable to the worst consequences of infection which misses the point that infectious diseases are you know transmissible' Hanage said in an email."";""William Hanage"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"295;2020-10-11 12:00:00;79;""Proposal to hasten herd immunity to covid-19 grabs attention but appalls top scientists"";""Joel Achenbach"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'Really? You think that's going to happen?' asked William Hanage an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. 'Who would work in the hotel? Presumably the people you are encouraging to become infected.'Which brings up the issue of hospitals he said: 'What do you do for the sort of younger populations who need health care themselves? Are you going to have separate hospitals for young people and older people?'The key problem Hanage said is that when viral transmission increases among young people it raises the risk for more vulnerable populations simply because this is a highly contagious pathogen.'The declaration is essentially arguing that nobody should have their lives interfered with if they are not themselves vulnerable to the worst consequences of infection which misses the point that infectious diseases are you know transmissible' Hanage said in an email."";""William Hanage"";""Harvard University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"296;2020-10-11 12:00:00;79;""Proposal to hasten herd immunity to covid-19 grabs attention but appalls top scientists"";""Joel Achenbach"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""Natalie Dean a biostatistician at the University of Florida echoed that noting that if viral transmission becomes more common in young people it would increase the danger to an elderly population that is already struggling with isolation and the risk of infection.'Is that solution then that we hide away the old people until society can safely resume for them? The solution is not very appealing to the elderly' she said."";""Natalie Dean"";""University of Florida"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"437;2020-10-11 12:00:00;79;""Proposal to hasten herd immunity to covid-19 grabs attention but appalls top scientists"";""Joel Achenbach"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""Natalie Dean a biostatistician at the University of Florida echoed that noting that if viral transmission becomes more common in young people it would increase the danger to an elderly population that is already struggling with isolation and the risk of infection.'Is that solution then that we hide away the old people until society can safely resume for them? The solution is not very appealing to the elderly' she said."";""Natalie Dean"";""University of Florida"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"285;2020-10-13 12:00:00;77;""White House embraces a declaration from scientists that opposes lockdowns and relies on �herd immunity.��"";""Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Current lockdown policies are producing devastating effects on short and long-term public health� the declaration states adding The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk. We call this Focused Protection.�"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"286;2020-10-13 12:00:00;77;""White House embraces a declaration from scientists that opposes lockdowns and relies on �herd immunity.��"";""Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Current lockdown policies are producing devastating effects on short and long-term public health� the declaration states adding The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk. We call this Focused Protection.�"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"433;2020-10-13 12:00:00;77;""White House embraces a declaration from scientists that opposes lockdowns and relies on �herd immunity.��"";""Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Current lockdown policies are producing devastating effects on short and long-term public health� the declaration states adding The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk. We call this Focused Protection.�"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"287;2020-10-13 12:00:00;77;""White House embraces a declaration from scientists that opposes lockdowns and relies on �herd immunity.��"";""Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""The idea that herd immunity will happen at 10 or 20 percent is just nonsense� said Dr. Christopher J.L. Murray  director of the University of Washingtons Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation  which produced the epidemic model frequently cited during White House news briefings as the epidemic hit hard in the spring."";""Christopher Murray"";""University of Washington"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"288;2020-10-13 12:00:00;78;""No to herd immunity WHO boss: It''''s unethical"";""Nancy Dillon"";""New York Daily News"";"""";"""";""'Never in the history of public health has herd immunity been used as a strategy for responding to an outbreak let alone a pandemic. It's scientifically and ethically problematic' WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.'Allowing a dangerous virus that we don't fully understand to run free is simply unethical' he stressed. 'It's not an option.'"";""Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus"";""World Health Organization"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"434;2020-10-13 12:00:00;78;""No to herd immunity WHO boss: It''''s unethical"";""Nancy Dillon"";""New York Daily News"";"""";"""";""With more than 90% of the populations of most countries lacking any form of immunity right now attempting to reach herd immunity without a vaccine would result in 'unnecessary infections suffering and death' he said.'Herd immunity is achieved by protecting people from a virus not by exposing them to it' he said."";""Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus"";""World Health Organization"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"254;2020-10-14 12:00:00;73;""Herd immunity strategy endorsed by White House a ''''ridiculous'''' way to stop COVID-19 scientists say � it will just kill people"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The idea that the public can infect its way out of the COVID-19 pandemic is 'a dangerous fallacy unsupported by the scientific evidence' 80 researchers said Wednesday in a letter published in the Lancet."";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"255;2020-10-14 12:00:00;73;""Herd immunity strategy endorsed by White House a ''''ridiculous'''' way to stop COVID-19 scientists say � it will just kill people"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk' the declaration says."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"256;2020-10-14 12:00:00;73;""Herd immunity strategy endorsed by White House a ''''ridiculous'''' way to stop COVID-19 scientists say � it will just kill people"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk' the declaration says."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"430;2020-10-14 12:00:00;73;""Herd immunity strategy endorsed by White House a ''''ridiculous'''' way to stop COVID-19 scientists say � it will just kill people"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk' the declaration says."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"257;2020-10-14 12:00:00;73;""Herd immunity strategy endorsed by White House a ''''ridiculous'''' way to stop COVID-19 scientists say � it will just kill people"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'It's just ridiculous' said Yvonne Maldonado an epidemiologist and infectious disease specialist at Stanford University Medical School. 'Everything they say (in the declaration) is either misinformation or an outright lie.'"";""Yvonne Maldonado"";""Stanford University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"258;2020-10-14 12:00:00;73;""Herd immunity strategy endorsed by White House a ''''ridiculous'''' way to stop COVID-19 scientists say � it will just kill people"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Thomas File president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America denounced the declaration Wednesday saying it was 'released without data or evidence.'"";""Thomas File"";""Infectious Diseases Society of America"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"259;2020-10-14 12:00:00;73;""Herd immunity strategy endorsed by White House a ''''ridiculous'''' way to stop COVID-19 scientists say � it will just kill people"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""We know that the natural history of coronavirus infections is that people can get reinfected over and over again� she said. In one well-documented case a 25-year- old man from Nevada was infected in late March and five weeks after recovering was diagnosed again with a slightly different version of the virus.The idea that its possible to isolate high-risk people is absurd Maldonado said."";""Yvonne Maldonado"";""Stanford University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"260;2020-10-14 12:00:00;73;""Herd immunity strategy endorsed by White House a ''''ridiculous'''' way to stop COVID-19 scientists say � it will just kill people"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""What were talking about here is a disease in which you probably need to get somewhere in excess of 60% of people with permanent � not temporary � immunity� he said. Its just not attainable without a much greater mortality than weve had so far.�"";""George Rutherford"";""University of California San Francisco"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"261;2020-10-14 12:00:00;73;""Herd immunity strategy endorsed by White House a ''''ridiculous'''' way to stop COVID-19 scientists say � it will just kill people"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Anthony Fauci head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases told a college class at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology last month that itsnot clear what percent of the population would need to be infected to provide herd immunity from COVID-19 though its likely to be 50% to 75% of the public. Were not anywhere near there yet� he said. If already200000 people have died and you want to let things go to get herd immunity youre going to get a lot of suffering and a lot of deaths. If we get herd immunity lets get it with a vaccine and not by letting everybody get infected.�"";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"262;2020-10-14 12:00:00;73;""Herd immunity strategy endorsed by White House a ''''ridiculous'''' way to stop COVID-19 scientists say � it will just kill people"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Anthony Fauci head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases told a college class at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology last month that itsnot clear what percent of the population would need to be infected to provide herd immunity from COVID-19 though its likely to be 50% to 75% of the public. Were not anywhere near there yet� he said. If already200000 people have died and you want to let things go to get herd immunity youre going to get a lot of suffering and a lot of deaths. If we get herd immunity lets get it with a vaccine and not by letting everybody get infected.�"";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"263;2020-10-14 12:00:00;73;""Herd immunity strategy endorsed by White House a ''''ridiculous'''' way to stop COVID-19 scientists say � it will just kill people"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Thats the only thing you need to know that herd immunity has not been reached� said William Hanage a Harvard epidemiologist."";""William Hanage"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"264;2020-10-14 12:00:00;73;""Herd immunity strategy endorsed by White House a ''''ridiculous'''' way to stop COVID-19 scientists say � it will just kill people"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Never in the history of public health has herd immunity been used as a strategy for responding to an outbreak let alone a pandemic� Ghebreyesus said. Allowing a dangerous virus that we dont fully understand to run free is simply unethical.�"";""Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus"";""World Health Organization"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"265;2020-10-14 12:00:00;74;""Boston researchers join letter in The Lancet rejecting herd immunity strategy"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""Several Boston-area researchers are among the authors of an open letter published Wednesday evening in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet that criticizes herd immunity as a dangerous fallacy unsupported by the scientific evidence.'"";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"266;2020-10-14 12:00:00;74;""Boston researchers join letter in The Lancet rejecting herd immunity strategy"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""But experts say achieving herd immunity through natural infections is not and should never be a strategy. Never in the history of public health has herd immunity been used as a strategy for responding to an outbreak� the head of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said this week. Allowing adangerous virus that we don't fully understand to run free is simply unethical.'"";""Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus"";""World Health Organization"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"267;2020-10-14 12:00:00;74;""Boston researchers join letter in The Lancet rejecting herd immunity strategy"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""The letter also argues that the strategy would place an unacceptable burden on the economy and healthcare workers' and it warned that scientists still do not understand the long-lasting effects of COVID-19."";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"268;2020-10-14 12:00:00;74;""Boston researchers join letter in The Lancet rejecting herd immunity strategy"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""The American Public Health Association and 13 other public health groups issued a statement Wednesday saying that following the Great Barrington Declarationwould haphazardly and unnecessarily� sacrifice lives. The statement called the strategy a political statement that preys on a frustrated populace ... selling false hope that will predictably backfire.�"";"""";""American Public Health Association"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"269;2020-10-14 12:00:00;74;""Boston researchers join letter in The Lancet rejecting herd immunity strategy"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""The American Public Health Association and 13 other public health groups issued a statement Wednesday saying that following the Great Barrington Declarationwould haphazardly and unnecessarily� sacrifice lives. The statement called the strategy a political statement that preys on a frustrated populace ... selling false hope that will predictably backfire.�"";"""";""American Public Health Association"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"270;2020-10-14 12:00:00;74;""Boston researchers join letter in The Lancet rejecting herd immunity strategy"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""he strategy is 'a fringe component of epidemiology. This is not mainstream science. It's dangerous. It fits into the political views of certain parts of our confused political establishment� National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins told The Washington Post. I'm sure it will be an idea that someone can wrap themselves in as a justification for skipping wearing masks or social distancing and just doing whatever they damn well please.�"";""Francis Collins"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"271;2020-10-14 12:00:00;74;""Boston researchers join letter in The Lancet rejecting herd immunity strategy"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""illiam Haseltine a former Harvard Medical School professor and founder of the university's cancer and HIV/AIDS research departments told CNNHerd immunity is another word for mass murder. If you allow this virus to spread ...we are looking at 2 to 6 million Americans dead. Not just this year but every year.�"";""William Haseltine"";"""";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"272;2020-10-14 12:00:00;74;""Boston researchers join letter in The Lancet rejecting herd immunity strategy"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""illiam Haseltine a former Harvard Medical School professor and founder of the university's cancer and HIV/AIDS research departments told CNNHerd immunity is another word for mass murder. If you allow this virus to spread ...we are looking at 2 to 6 million Americans dead. Not just this year but every year.�"";""William Haseltine"";"""";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"274;2020-10-14 12:00:00;75;""Proposal to hasten herd immunity to the coronavirus grabs White House attention but appalls top scientists"";""Joel Achenbach"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""A senior administration official told reporters in a background briefing call Monday that the proposed strategy � which has been denounced by other infectious- disease experts and called 'fringe' and 'dangerous' by National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins � supports what has been Trump's policy for months."";""Francis Collins"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"275;2020-10-14 12:00:00;75;""Proposal to hasten herd immunity to the coronavirus grabs White House attention but appalls top scientists"";""Joel Achenbach"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk' the declaration states."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"276;2020-10-14 12:00:00;75;""Proposal to hasten herd immunity to the coronavirus grabs White House attention but appalls top scientists"";""Joel Achenbach"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk' the declaration states."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"431;2020-10-14 12:00:00;75;""Proposal to hasten herd immunity to the coronavirus grabs White House attention but appalls top scientists"";""Joel Achenbach"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk' the declaration states."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"277;2020-10-14 12:00:00;75;""Proposal to hasten herd immunity to the coronavirus grabs White House attention but appalls top scientists"";""Joel Achenbach"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'This is a fringe component of epidemiology. This is not mainstream science. It's dangerous. It fits into the political views of certain parts of our confused political establishment' he said. 'I'm sure it will be an idea that someone can wrap themselves in as a justification for skipping wearing masks or social distancing and just doing whatever they damn well please.'Critics of Focused Protection say the idea is impractical unethical and potentially deadly."";""Francis Collins"";""National Institute of Health"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"278;2020-10-14 12:00:00;75;""Proposal to hasten herd immunity to the coronavirus grabs White House attention but appalls top scientists"";""Joel Achenbach"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'This is a fringe component of epidemiology. This is not mainstream science. It's dangerous. It fits into the political views of certain parts of our confused political establishment' he said. 'I'm sure it will be an idea that someone can wrap themselves in as a justification for skipping wearing masks or social distancing and just doing whatever they damn well please.'Critics of Focused Protection say the idea is impractical unethical and potentially deadly."";""Francis Collins"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"279;2020-10-14 12:00:00;75;""Proposal to hasten herd immunity to the coronavirus grabs White House attention but appalls top scientists"";""Joel Achenbach"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'Is the solution then that we hide away the old people until society can safely resume for them? The solution is not very appealing to the elderly' she said."";""Natalie Dean"";""University of Florida"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"280;2020-10-14 12:00:00;75;""Proposal to hasten herd immunity to the coronavirus grabs White House attention but appalls top scientists"";""Joel Achenbach"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""William Hanage an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health raised the question of how younger people who are sick would be keptseparate from older patients: 'What do you do for the sort of younger populations who need health care themselves? Are you going to have separate hospitals for young people and older people?'"";""William Hanage"";""Harvard University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"432;2020-10-14 12:00:00;75;""Proposal to hasten herd immunity to the coronavirus grabs White House attention but appalls top scientists"";""Joel Achenbach"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""William Hanage an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health raised the question of how younger people who are sick would be keptseparate from older patients: 'What do you do for the sort of younger populations who need health care themselves? Are you going to have separate hospitals for young people and older people?'"";""William Hanage"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"281;2020-10-14 12:00:00;75;""Proposal to hasten herd immunity to the coronavirus grabs White House attention but appalls top scientists"";""Joel Achenbach"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""Gregg Gonsalves an epidemiologist at the Yale School of Public Health posted a Twitter thread Monday excoriating the Focused Protection strategy as a recipe for 'carnage' writing 'Walking with these pied pipers into the arms of [the virus] because you think you're not at risk or your elders are taken care of is not a plan. It's a massacre.'"";""Gregg Gonsalves"";""Yale University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"282;2020-10-14 12:00:00;75;""Proposal to hasten herd immunity to the coronavirus grabs White House attention but appalls top scientists"";""Joel Achenbach"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""Gregg Gonsalves an epidemiologist at the Yale School of Public Health posted a Twitter thread Monday excoriating the Focused Protection strategy as a recipe for 'carnage' writing 'Walking with these pied pipers into the arms of [the virus] because you think you're not at risk or your elders are taken care of is not a plan. It's a massacre.'"";""Gregg Gonsalves"";""Yale University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"284;2020-10-14 12:00:00;76;""Allowing spread for herd immunity ''unethical''"";""Antonia Noori Farzan Miriam Berger"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'Never in the history of public health has herd immunity been used as a strategy for responding to an outbreak let alone a pandemic' WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a Monday media briefing. 'It is scientifically and ethically problematic.'"";""Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus"";""World Health Organization"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"283;2020-10-14 12:00:00;76;""Allowing spread for herd immunity ''unethical''"";""Antonia Noori Farzan Miriam Berger"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'You'll develop herd - like a herd mentality' he said. 'It's going to be - it's going to be herd developed - and that's going to happen.'"";""Donald Trump"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"649;2020-10-15 12:00:00;68;""Coronavirus Briefing: What Happened Today"";""Jonathan Wolfe Amelia Nierenberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""The petition argues against lockdowns and calls for a reopening of businesses and schools and for those who are not vulnerable to resume life as normal.�"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"650;2020-10-15 12:00:00;68;""Coronavirus Briefing: What Happened Today"";""Jonathan Wolfe Amelia Nierenberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Even 20 or 25 percent really only New York is probably around that� Apoorva told us. The rest of the country is more around 10 percent so were talking about possibly doubling the toll everywhere weve seen so far.�She pointed out other flaws in the declaration including the assumption that only a small portion of the population is vulnerable and would need to isolate. Were worried about anybody with underlying conditions like obesity and diabetes and in the U.S. thats almost half the population� she said.And even in young healthy people the virus can cause death or long-term damage.Some public health experts Ive talked to worry that the White House embracing a strategy like this essentially gives license to every young person who doesnt feel like taking precautions� she said.This is like permission to go out get themselves exposed to the virus have parties and keep the virus circulating. It has the potential to cause a lot of death and a lot of illnesses not just among the older people that it might spread to but even among young people.�College enrollment is way down Like way way down ."";""Apoorva Mandavilli"";""The New York Times"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"651;2020-10-15 12:00:00;68;""Coronavirus Briefing: What Happened Today"";""Jonathan Wolfe Amelia Nierenberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Even 20 or 25 percent really only New York is probably around that� Apoorva told us. The rest of the country is more around 10 percent so were talking about possibly doubling the toll everywhere weve seen so far.�She pointed out other flaws in the declaration including the assumption that only a small portion of the population is vulnerable and would need to isolate. Were worried about anybody with underlying conditions like obesity and diabetes and in the U.S. thats almost half the population� she said.And even in young healthy people the virus can cause death or long-term damage.Some public health experts Ive talked to worry that the White House embracing a strategy like this essentially gives license to every young person who doesnt feel like taking precautions� she said.This is like permission to go out get themselves exposed to the virus have parties and keep the virus circulating. It has the potential to cause a lot of death and a lot of illnesses not just among the older people that it might spread to but even among young people.�College enrollment is way down Like way way down ."";""Apoorva Mandavilli"";""The New York Times"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"652;2020-10-15 12:00:00;68;""Coronavirus Briefing: What Happened Today"";""Jonathan Wolfe Amelia Nierenberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Even 20 or 25 percent really only New York is probably around that� Apoorva told us. The rest of the country is more around 10 percent so were talking about possibly doubling the toll everywhere weve seen so far.�She pointed out other flaws in the declaration including the assumption that only a small portion of the population is vulnerable and would need to isolate. Were worried about anybody with underlying conditions like obesity and diabetes and in the U.S. thats almost half the population� she said.And even in young healthy people the virus can cause death or long-term damage.Some public health experts Ive talked to worry that the White House embracing a strategy like this essentially gives license to every young person who doesnt feel like taking precautions� she said.This is like permission to go out get themselves exposed to the virus have parties and keep the virus circulating. It has the potential to cause a lot of death and a lot of illnesses not just among the older people that it might spread to but even among young people.�College enrollment is way down Like way way down ."";""Apoorva Mandavilli"";""The New York Times"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"653;2020-10-15 12:00:00;69;""Trump wants to try for herd immunity. Without a vaccine it could kill millions."";""Marc Lipsitch Gregg Gonsalves Carlos del Rio Rochelle P. Walensky"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""President Trump has long seemed fascinated with the idea that herd immunity could provide an easy end to the coronavirus pandemic even before his own diagnosis with covid-19 and his blithe declaration after he checked himself out of the hospital that no one should be afraid of getting it. 'With time it goes away' he told an ABC News town hall last month. 'And you'll develop � you'll develop herd � like a herd mentality. It's going to be � it's going to be herd-developed and that's going to happen. That will all happen.' The neuroradiologist he brought in to advise on the pandemic response over the summer Scott Atlas has argued that rising case counts will bring the nation to herd immunity faster.Now the White House has turned this half-baked idea into an official strategy calling it 'focused protection.' In this approach the virus would be allowed to spread among young healthy people with little attempt to slow it down while officials try to keep older more vulnerable Americans from contracting it. In the modern era herd immunity is best achieved by vaccination when enough people acquire immunity to an infection through a shot in the arm to protect the whole community. That's our goal every flu season it's the reason we vaccinate infants against dreaded childhood diseases. But now the official policy of the Trump administration will be to try to speed up the arrival of herd immunity to the novel coronavirus by letting the virus infect people faster. Without a vaccine though this strategy risks the deaths of millions of Americans.Proponents of herd immunity with 'focused protection' generally oppose mask mandates contact tracing and other measures to slow the spread of the virus because they imagine that infection can be confined to the 'low risk' population and want to hasten infection in that group.After falsely promising that the epidemic would go away 'like a miracle' when the weather turned warm the White House has now found support for its new cold- weather line of wishful thinking in the so-called 'Great Barrington Declaration' a document published last week at a ceremony at a libertarian think tank by three scientists whose views diverge sharply from those of most infectious-disease epidemiologists. On Tuesday night a White House official speaking on the condition of anonymity told reporters that the plan 'is endorsing what the president's strategy has been for months.'Supporters of this view are half right: We must indeed do all in our power to protect the vulnerable. More resources are desperately needed to keep nursing homes safe including considerably increased testing capacity and personal protective equipment better sick leave policies for their staff and smarter ways to deploy staff so that those who may already be immune due to prior infection can interact with the highest-risk residents. More broadly this pandemic disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities so 'the most vulnerable' actually include the poor essential workers and those who society already routinely fails to protect.As we and many others work hard to hone strategies to protect all these populations the administration has failed to support and often hampered such efforts to shield those at highest risk. For example Trump forced meatpacking plants to reopen in April without mandatory protections in place these venues were deemed essential but were hot spots for transmission and disproportionately employ Latino and African American workers.Unfortunately no one has so far devised an approach to protecting the vulnerable that really works especially when the infection is raging in society at large. Surely we should do all we can to change that and surely we all want to get back to our pre-covid-19 lives.Yet until we have a proven means to protect those most at risk and put those safeguards in place letting up on control and plunging ahead in pursuit of herd immunity via massive infection rates amounts to unilateral disarmament. Scientists and clinicians in and out of government have been working hard to protect these groups with little or modest success for most of the year while also attempting to minimize the threat that community transmission poses to them and to all of us � a belt-and-suspenders approach. Letting the virus tear out of control in the population at large before we really know how to protect the vulnerable is like ripping off our suspenders before we have the belt on. Just look at Sweden the poster country for the 'age-targeted' approach: Even the architects of that strategy admit they failed their nursing homes.Even if we had more faith that we could protect those at greatest risk though there are still more fundamental reasons to resist the notion of dropping our guard. That strategy rests on the notion that the virus is harmless to most people and risky only for defined groups that we will get to herd immunity sooner or later so we may as well do it sooner and that if we just tell people to go back to normal life the world as we knew it in 2019 will return.These are all false hopes.Covid-19 is unquestionably worse for someone who is male older sicker or lacks access to health care. But it's dangerous for all of us. It is true that compared with older demographics the young and healthy fare well. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 50 percent of Americans live withunderlying conditions that predispose them to serious outcomes from covid-19. So far42000 Americans under 65 have died from the disease � more than four times as many as typically die in that age group from seasonal flu � and we've only had eight months or so of intense covid-19 activity so the numbers will keep growing. If we let the virus spread uncontrolled in the younger population we will indeed build up some herd immunity that will probably reduce further spread � for a while. But coronavirus immunity is notoriously short-lived and partial: Other coronaviruses are called 'seasonal' because like the flu they circulate every year. The result of letting the infection go in the general population will in all likelihood be a persistent problem not a nightmare followed by a blissful awakening. CDC Director Robert Redfield told Congress in late September that over 90 percent of the U.S. population remains susceptible to this coronavirus citing published data. Recently proponents of herd immunity have pointed to the existence of T cell immunity in some of the unexposed population to suggest a far lower share of the public might truly be susceptible but this misunderstands how T cell immunity works and how epidemiological models are fit to data. Whatever T cells are doing to protect us is already 'baked in' to the estimates that we will need half the population or more to be immune before transmission relents.Returning to pre-pandemic levels of activity risks a return to levels of transmission like those we saw in the hardest-hit places in the early spring such as New York New Orleans and Detroit with hospitals overwhelmed and ICU beds in short supply. All the sacrifices of the last months will have been largely wasted delaying but not fundamentally changing the devastation of an unmitigated pandemic. Among other consequences this will mean that the return to 'normalcy' hoped for by herd- immunity proponents will not occur as fear of exposure would keep people home even if there were no rules requiring it. Indeed economists report that states that ended their spring lockdowns early have had the worst not the best economic outcomes resulting from rampant viral spread.'Flatten the curve' was a good idea when the world first heard the concept in March and it still is. Even if we assume herd immunity will come sooner or later through the natural spread of the infection we should prefer to delay it. A flatter curve with more infections delayed means a health-care system better able to cope with the cases it does have. Treatments are getting better and there are indications that more people who would have died of covid-19 earlier in the outbreak are surviving. Further data suggest that only two-thirds of the 225000 excess deaths from March to August were covid-related an overwhelmed health-care system means there is little reserve to care for all the other diseases hospitals were created to treat. And there is every reason to expect medical care for this new disease to be better in three or six months than it is now. Last and most important vaccines are being tested that might just protect us if we can stay uninfected long enough to get our immunity that way.We can find common ground with the proponents of focused protection on the need to find more and better ways to shield the vulnerable until then and to be smart about what restrictions we use to reduce viral spread. We also agree that control measures are taking a toll on everyone particularly those who are economically disadvantaged. But until we have a way to reduce the devastation of this virus through treatments or vaccines we have a moral obligation to suppress its spread while enhancing economic educational and medical support for those whose lives are most disrupted by our control measures.The question of whether to as Trump put it earlier this year 'go herd' is not a scientific debate. There is no scientific data showing that a country like the United States can protect those at greatest risk while letting the virus spread uncontrolled. The debate is over how to live while we wait for a vaccine good enough to protect the vulnerable and provide herd immunity.The Great Barrington approach and its champions advocate a strategy that abdicates our responsibility by letting up on control of the virus with no proven means to protect the vulnerable. This will cost lives and if the summer is any indication further damage the economy while pursuing a goal of herd immunity that may prove only temporary even if reached. We must keep up the efforts on both fronts � supporting those at greatest risk while limiting spread of the virus to prevent unnecessary illness and deaths."";""Marc Lipsitch"";""Harvard University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"654;2020-10-15 12:00:00;69;""Trump wants to try for herd immunity. Without a vaccine it could kill millions."";""Marc Lipsitch Gregg Gonsalves Carlos del Rio Rochelle P. Walensky"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""President Trump has long seemed fascinated with the idea that herd immunity could provide an easy end to the coronavirus pandemic even before his own diagnosis with covid-19 and his blithe declaration after he checked himself out of the hospital that no one should be afraid of getting it. 'With time it goes away' he told an ABC News town hall last month. 'And you'll develop � you'll develop herd � like a herd mentality. It's going to be � it's going to be herd-developed and that's going to happen. That will all happen.' The neuroradiologist he brought in to advise on the pandemic response over the summer Scott Atlas has argued that rising case counts will bring the nation to herd immunity faster.Now the White House has turned this half-baked idea into an official strategy calling it 'focused protection.' In this approach the virus would be allowed to spread among young healthy people with little attempt to slow it down while officials try to keep older more vulnerable Americans from contracting it. In the modern era herd immunity is best achieved by vaccination when enough people acquire immunity to an infection through a shot in the arm to protect the whole community. That's our goal every flu season it's the reason we vaccinate infants against dreaded childhood diseases. But now the official policy of the Trump administration will be to try to speed up the arrival of herd immunity to the novel coronavirus by letting the virus infect people faster. Without a vaccine though this strategy risks the deaths of millions of Americans.Proponents of herd immunity with 'focused protection' generally oppose mask mandates contact tracing and other measures to slow the spread of the virus because they imagine that infection can be confined to the 'low risk' population and want to hasten infection in that group.After falsely promising that the epidemic would go away 'like a miracle' when the weather turned warm the White House has now found support for its new cold- weather line of wishful thinking in the so-called 'Great Barrington Declaration' a document published last week at a ceremony at a libertarian think tank by three scientists whose views diverge sharply from those of most infectious-disease epidemiologists. On Tuesday night a White House official speaking on the condition of anonymity told reporters that the plan 'is endorsing what the president's strategy has been for months.'Supporters of this view are half right: We must indeed do all in our power to protect the vulnerable. More resources are desperately needed to keep nursing homes safe including considerably increased testing capacity and personal protective equipment better sick leave policies for their staff and smarter ways to deploy staff so that those who may already be immune due to prior infection can interact with the highest-risk residents. More broadly this pandemic disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities so 'the most vulnerable' actually include the poor essential workers and those who society already routinely fails to protect.As we and many others work hard to hone strategies to protect all these populations the administration has failed to support and often hampered such efforts to shield those at highest risk. For example Trump forced meatpacking plants to reopen in April without mandatory protections in place these venues were deemed essential but were hot spots for transmission and disproportionately employ Latino and African American workers.Unfortunately no one has so far devised an approach to protecting the vulnerable that really works especially when the infection is raging in society at large. Surely we should do all we can to change that and surely we all want to get back to our pre-covid-19 lives.Yet until we have a proven means to protect those most at risk and put those safeguards in place letting up on control and plunging ahead in pursuit of herd immunity via massive infection rates amounts to unilateral disarmament. Scientists and clinicians in and out of government have been working hard to protect these groups with little or modest success for most of the year while also attempting to minimize the threat that community transmission poses to them and to all of us � a belt-and-suspenders approach. Letting the virus tear out of control in the population at large before we really know how to protect the vulnerable is like ripping off our suspenders before we have the belt on. Just look at Sweden the poster country for the 'age-targeted' approach: Even the architects of that strategy admit they failed their nursing homes.Even if we had more faith that we could protect those at greatest risk though there are still more fundamental reasons to resist the notion of dropping our guard. That strategy rests on the notion that the virus is harmless to most people and risky only for defined groups that we will get to herd immunity sooner or later so we may as well do it sooner and that if we just tell people to go back to normal life the world as we knew it in 2019 will return.These are all false hopes.Covid-19 is unquestionably worse for someone who is male older sicker or lacks access to health care. But it's dangerous for all of us. It is true that compared with older demographics the young and healthy fare well. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 50 percent of Americans live withunderlying conditions that predispose them to serious outcomes from covid-19. So far42000 Americans under 65 have died from the disease � more than four times as many as typically die in that age group from seasonal flu � and we've only had eight months or so of intense covid-19 activity so the numbers will keep growing. If we let the virus spread uncontrolled in the younger population we will indeed build up some herd immunity that will probably reduce further spread � for a while. But coronavirus immunity is notoriously short-lived and partial: Other coronaviruses are called 'seasonal' because like the flu they circulate every year. The result of letting the infection go in the general population will in all likelihood be a persistent problem not a nightmare followed by a blissful awakening. CDC Director Robert Redfield told Congress in late September that over 90 percent of the U.S. population remains susceptible to this coronavirus citing published data. Recently proponents of herd immunity have pointed to the existence of T cell immunity in some of the unexposed population to suggest a far lower share of the public might truly be susceptible but this misunderstands how T cell immunity works and how epidemiological models are fit to data. Whatever T cells are doing to protect us is already 'baked in' to the estimates that we will need half the population or more to be immune before transmission relents.Returning to pre-pandemic levels of activity risks a return to levels of transmission like those we saw in the hardest-hit places in the early spring such as New York New Orleans and Detroit with hospitals overwhelmed and ICU beds in short supply. All the sacrifices of the last months will have been largely wasted delaying but not fundamentally changing the devastation of an unmitigated pandemic. Among other consequences this will mean that the return to 'normalcy' hoped for by herd- immunity proponents will not occur as fear of exposure would keep people home even if there were no rules requiring it. Indeed economists report that states that ended their spring lockdowns early have had the worst not the best economic outcomes resulting from rampant viral spread.'Flatten the curve' was a good idea when the world first heard the concept in March and it still is. Even if we assume herd immunity will come sooner or later through the natural spread of the infection we should prefer to delay it. A flatter curve with more infections delayed means a health-care system better able to cope with the cases it does have. Treatments are getting better and there are indications that more people who would have died of covid-19 earlier in the outbreak are surviving. Further data suggest that only two-thirds of the 225000 excess deaths from March to August were covid-related an overwhelmed health-care system means there is little reserve to care for all the other diseases hospitals were created to treat. And there is every reason to expect medical care for this new disease to be better in three or six months than it is now. Last and most important vaccines are being tested that might just protect us if we can stay uninfected long enough to get our immunity that way.We can find common ground with the proponents of focused protection on the need to find more and better ways to shield the vulnerable until then and to be smart about what restrictions we use to reduce viral spread. We also agree that control measures are taking a toll on everyone particularly those who are economically disadvantaged. But until we have a way to reduce the devastation of this virus through treatments or vaccines we have a moral obligation to suppress its spread while enhancing economic educational and medical support for those whose lives are most disrupted by our control measures.The question of whether to as Trump put it earlier this year 'go herd' is not a scientific debate. There is no scientific data showing that a country like the United States can protect those at greatest risk while letting the virus spread uncontrolled. The debate is over how to live while we wait for a vaccine good enough to protect the vulnerable and provide herd immunity.The Great Barrington approach and its champions advocate a strategy that abdicates our responsibility by letting up on control of the virus with no proven means to protect the vulnerable. This will cost lives and if the summer is any indication further damage the economy while pursuing a goal of herd immunity that may prove only temporary even if reached. We must keep up the efforts on both fronts � supporting those at greatest risk while limiting spread of the virus to prevent unnecessary illness and deaths."";""Marc Lipsitch"";""Harvard University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"655;2020-10-15 12:00:00;69;""Trump wants to try for herd immunity. Without a vaccine it could kill millions."";""Marc Lipsitch Gregg Gonsalves Carlos del Rio Rochelle P. Walensky"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""President Trump has long seemed fascinated with the idea that herd immunity could provide an easy end to the coronavirus pandemic even before his own diagnosis with covid-19 and his blithe declaration after he checked himself out of the hospital that no one should be afraid of getting it. 'With time it goes away' he told an ABC News town hall last month. 'And you'll develop � you'll develop herd � like a herd mentality. It's going to be � it's going to be herd-developed and that's going to happen. That will all happen.' The neuroradiologist he brought in to advise on the pandemic response over the summer Scott Atlas has argued that rising case counts will bring the nation to herd immunity faster.Now the White House has turned this half-baked idea into an official strategy calling it 'focused protection.' In this approach the virus would be allowed to spread among young healthy people with little attempt to slow it down while officials try to keep older more vulnerable Americans from contracting it. In the modern era herd immunity is best achieved by vaccination when enough people acquire immunity to an infection through a shot in the arm to protect the whole community. That's our goal every flu season it's the reason we vaccinate infants against dreaded childhood diseases. But now the official policy of the Trump administration will be to try to speed up the arrival of herd immunity to the novel coronavirus by letting the virus infect people faster. Without a vaccine though this strategy risks the deaths of millions of Americans.Proponents of herd immunity with 'focused protection' generally oppose mask mandates contact tracing and other measures to slow the spread of the virus because they imagine that infection can be confined to the 'low risk' population and want to hasten infection in that group.After falsely promising that the epidemic would go away 'like a miracle' when the weather turned warm the White House has now found support for its new cold- weather line of wishful thinking in the so-called 'Great Barrington Declaration' a document published last week at a ceremony at a libertarian think tank by three scientists whose views diverge sharply from those of most infectious-disease epidemiologists. On Tuesday night a White House official speaking on the condition of anonymity told reporters that the plan 'is endorsing what the president's strategy has been for months.'Supporters of this view are half right: We must indeed do all in our power to protect the vulnerable. More resources are desperately needed to keep nursing homes safe including considerably increased testing capacity and personal protective equipment better sick leave policies for their staff and smarter ways to deploy staff so that those who may already be immune due to prior infection can interact with the highest-risk residents. More broadly this pandemic disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities so 'the most vulnerable' actually include the poor essential workers and those who society already routinely fails to protect.As we and many others work hard to hone strategies to protect all these populations the administration has failed to support and often hampered such efforts to shield those at highest risk. For example Trump forced meatpacking plants to reopen in April without mandatory protections in place these venues were deemed essential but were hot spots for transmission and disproportionately employ Latino and African American workers.Unfortunately no one has so far devised an approach to protecting the vulnerable that really works especially when the infection is raging in society at large. Surely we should do all we can to change that and surely we all want to get back to our pre-covid-19 lives.Yet until we have a proven means to protect those most at risk and put those safeguards in place letting up on control and plunging ahead in pursuit of herd immunity via massive infection rates amounts to unilateral disarmament. Scientists and clinicians in and out of government have been working hard to protect these groups with little or modest success for most of the year while also attempting to minimize the threat that community transmission poses to them and to all of us � a belt-and-suspenders approach. Letting the virus tear out of control in the population at large before we really know how to protect the vulnerable is like ripping off our suspenders before we have the belt on. Just look at Sweden the poster country for the 'age-targeted' approach: Even the architects of that strategy admit they failed their nursing homes.Even if we had more faith that we could protect those at greatest risk though there are still more fundamental reasons to resist the notion of dropping our guard. That strategy rests on the notion that the virus is harmless to most people and risky only for defined groups that we will get to herd immunity sooner or later so we may as well do it sooner and that if we just tell people to go back to normal life the world as we knew it in 2019 will return.These are all false hopes.Covid-19 is unquestionably worse for someone who is male older sicker or lacks access to health care. But it's dangerous for all of us. It is true that compared with older demographics the young and healthy fare well. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 50 percent of Americans live withunderlying conditions that predispose them to serious outcomes from covid-19. So far42000 Americans under 65 have died from the disease � more than four times as many as typically die in that age group from seasonal flu � and we've only had eight months or so of intense covid-19 activity so the numbers will keep growing. If we let the virus spread uncontrolled in the younger population we will indeed build up some herd immunity that will probably reduce further spread � for a while. But coronavirus immunity is notoriously short-lived and partial: Other coronaviruses are called 'seasonal' because like the flu they circulate every year. The result of letting the infection go in the general population will in all likelihood be a persistent problem not a nightmare followed by a blissful awakening. CDC Director Robert Redfield told Congress in late September that over 90 percent of the U.S. population remains susceptible to this coronavirus citing published data. Recently proponents of herd immunity have pointed to the existence of T cell immunity in some of the unexposed population to suggest a far lower share of the public might truly be susceptible but this misunderstands how T cell immunity works and how epidemiological models are fit to data. Whatever T cells are doing to protect us is already 'baked in' to the estimates that we will need half the population or more to be immune before transmission relents.Returning to pre-pandemic levels of activity risks a return to levels of transmission like those we saw in the hardest-hit places in the early spring such as New York New Orleans and Detroit with hospitals overwhelmed and ICU beds in short supply. All the sacrifices of the last months will have been largely wasted delaying but not fundamentally changing the devastation of an unmitigated pandemic. Among other consequences this will mean that the return to 'normalcy' hoped for by herd- immunity proponents will not occur as fear of exposure would keep people home even if there were no rules requiring it. Indeed economists report that states that ended their spring lockdowns early have had the worst not the best economic outcomes resulting from rampant viral spread.'Flatten the curve' was a good idea when the world first heard the concept in March and it still is. Even if we assume herd immunity will come sooner or later through the natural spread of the infection we should prefer to delay it. A flatter curve with more infections delayed means a health-care system better able to cope with the cases it does have. Treatments are getting better and there are indications that more people who would have died of covid-19 earlier in the outbreak are surviving. Further data suggest that only two-thirds of the 225000 excess deaths from March to August were covid-related an overwhelmed health-care system means there is little reserve to care for all the other diseases hospitals were created to treat. And there is every reason to expect medical care for this new disease to be better in three or six months than it is now. Last and most important vaccines are being tested that might just protect us if we can stay uninfected long enough to get our immunity that way.We can find common ground with the proponents of focused protection on the need to find more and better ways to shield the vulnerable until then and to be smart about what restrictions we use to reduce viral spread. We also agree that control measures are taking a toll on everyone particularly those who are economically disadvantaged. But until we have a way to reduce the devastation of this virus through treatments or vaccines we have a moral obligation to suppress its spread while enhancing economic educational and medical support for those whose lives are most disrupted by our control measures.The question of whether to as Trump put it earlier this year 'go herd' is not a scientific debate. There is no scientific data showing that a country like the United States can protect those at greatest risk while letting the virus spread uncontrolled. The debate is over how to live while we wait for a vaccine good enough to protect the vulnerable and provide herd immunity.The Great Barrington approach and its champions advocate a strategy that abdicates our responsibility by letting up on control of the virus with no proven means to protect the vulnerable. This will cost lives and if the summer is any indication further damage the economy while pursuing a goal of herd immunity that may prove only temporary even if reached. We must keep up the efforts on both fronts � supporting those at greatest risk while limiting spread of the virus to prevent unnecessary illness and deaths."";""Marc Lipsitch"";""Harvard University"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"656;2020-10-15 12:00:00;69;""Trump wants to try for herd immunity. Without a vaccine it could kill millions."";""Marc Lipsitch Gregg Gonsalves Carlos del Rio Rochelle P. Walensky"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""President Trump has long seemed fascinated with the idea that herd immunity could provide an easy end to the coronavirus pandemic even before his own diagnosis with covid-19 and his blithe declaration after he checked himself out of the hospital that no one should be afraid of getting it. 'With time it goes away' he told an ABC News town hall last month. 'And you'll develop � you'll develop herd � like a herd mentality. It's going to be � it's going to be herd-developed and that's going to happen. That will all happen.' The neuroradiologist he brought in to advise on the pandemic response over the summer Scott Atlas has argued that rising case counts will bring the nation to herd immunity faster.Now the White House has turned this half-baked idea into an official strategy calling it 'focused protection.' In this approach the virus would be allowed to spread among young healthy people with little attempt to slow it down while officials try to keep older more vulnerable Americans from contracting it. In the modern era herd immunity is best achieved by vaccination when enough people acquire immunity to an infection through a shot in the arm to protect the whole community. That's our goal every flu season it's the reason we vaccinate infants against dreaded childhood diseases. But now the official policy of the Trump administration will be to try to speed up the arrival of herd immunity to the novel coronavirus by letting the virus infect people faster. Without a vaccine though this strategy risks the deaths of millions of Americans.Proponents of herd immunity with 'focused protection' generally oppose mask mandates contact tracing and other measures to slow the spread of the virus because they imagine that infection can be confined to the 'low risk' population and want to hasten infection in that group.After falsely promising that the epidemic would go away 'like a miracle' when the weather turned warm the White House has now found support for its new cold- weather line of wishful thinking in the so-called 'Great Barrington Declaration' a document published last week at a ceremony at a libertarian think tank by three scientists whose views diverge sharply from those of most infectious-disease epidemiologists. On Tuesday night a White House official speaking on the condition of anonymity told reporters that the plan 'is endorsing what the president's strategy has been for months.'Supporters of this view are half right: We must indeed do all in our power to protect the vulnerable. More resources are desperately needed to keep nursing homes safe including considerably increased testing capacity and personal protective equipment better sick leave policies for their staff and smarter ways to deploy staff so that those who may already be immune due to prior infection can interact with the highest-risk residents. More broadly this pandemic disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities so 'the most vulnerable' actually include the poor essential workers and those who society already routinely fails to protect.As we and many others work hard to hone strategies to protect all these populations the administration has failed to support and often hampered such efforts to shield those at highest risk. For example Trump forced meatpacking plants to reopen in April without mandatory protections in place these venues were deemed essential but were hot spots for transmission and disproportionately employ Latino and African American workers.Unfortunately no one has so far devised an approach to protecting the vulnerable that really works especially when the infection is raging in society at large. Surely we should do all we can to change that and surely we all want to get back to our pre-covid-19 lives.Yet until we have a proven means to protect those most at risk and put those safeguards in place letting up on control and plunging ahead in pursuit of herd immunity via massive infection rates amounts to unilateral disarmament. Scientists and clinicians in and out of government have been working hard to protect these groups with little or modest success for most of the year while also attempting to minimize the threat that community transmission poses to them and to all of us � a belt-and-suspenders approach. Letting the virus tear out of control in the population at large before we really know how to protect the vulnerable is like ripping off our suspenders before we have the belt on. Just look at Sweden the poster country for the 'age-targeted' approach: Even the architects of that strategy admit they failed their nursing homes.Even if we had more faith that we could protect those at greatest risk though there are still more fundamental reasons to resist the notion of dropping our guard. That strategy rests on the notion that the virus is harmless to most people and risky only for defined groups that we will get to herd immunity sooner or later so we may as well do it sooner and that if we just tell people to go back to normal life the world as we knew it in 2019 will return.These are all false hopes.Covid-19 is unquestionably worse for someone who is male older sicker or lacks access to health care. But it's dangerous for all of us. It is true that compared with older demographics the young and healthy fare well. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 50 percent of Americans live withunderlying conditions that predispose them to serious outcomes from covid-19. So far42000 Americans under 65 have died from the disease � more than four times as many as typically die in that age group from seasonal flu � and we've only had eight months or so of intense covid-19 activity so the numbers will keep growing. If we let the virus spread uncontrolled in the younger population we will indeed build up some herd immunity that will probably reduce further spread � for a while. But coronavirus immunity is notoriously short-lived and partial: Other coronaviruses are called 'seasonal' because like the flu they circulate every year. The result of letting the infection go in the general population will in all likelihood be a persistent problem not a nightmare followed by a blissful awakening. CDC Director Robert Redfield told Congress in late September that over 90 percent of the U.S. population remains susceptible to this coronavirus citing published data. Recently proponents of herd immunity have pointed to the existence of T cell immunity in some of the unexposed population to suggest a far lower share of the public might truly be susceptible but this misunderstands how T cell immunity works and how epidemiological models are fit to data. Whatever T cells are doing to protect us is already 'baked in' to the estimates that we will need half the population or more to be immune before transmission relents.Returning to pre-pandemic levels of activity risks a return to levels of transmission like those we saw in the hardest-hit places in the early spring such as New York New Orleans and Detroit with hospitals overwhelmed and ICU beds in short supply. All the sacrifices of the last months will have been largely wasted delaying but not fundamentally changing the devastation of an unmitigated pandemic. Among other consequences this will mean that the return to 'normalcy' hoped for by herd- immunity proponents will not occur as fear of exposure would keep people home even if there were no rules requiring it. Indeed economists report that states that ended their spring lockdowns early have had the worst not the best economic outcomes resulting from rampant viral spread.'Flatten the curve' was a good idea when the world first heard the concept in March and it still is. Even if we assume herd immunity will come sooner or later through the natural spread of the infection we should prefer to delay it. A flatter curve with more infections delayed means a health-care system better able to cope with the cases it does have. Treatments are getting better and there are indications that more people who would have died of covid-19 earlier in the outbreak are surviving. Further data suggest that only two-thirds of the 225000 excess deaths from March to August were covid-related an overwhelmed health-care system means there is little reserve to care for all the other diseases hospitals were created to treat. And there is every reason to expect medical care for this new disease to be better in three or six months than it is now. Last and most important vaccines are being tested that might just protect us if we can stay uninfected long enough to get our immunity that way.We can find common ground with the proponents of focused protection on the need to find more and better ways to shield the vulnerable until then and to be smart about what restrictions we use to reduce viral spread. We also agree that control measures are taking a toll on everyone particularly those who are economically disadvantaged. But until we have a way to reduce the devastation of this virus through treatments or vaccines we have a moral obligation to suppress its spread while enhancing economic educational and medical support for those whose lives are most disrupted by our control measures.The question of whether to as Trump put it earlier this year 'go herd' is not a scientific debate. There is no scientific data showing that a country like the United States can protect those at greatest risk while letting the virus spread uncontrolled. The debate is over how to live while we wait for a vaccine good enough to protect the vulnerable and provide herd immunity.The Great Barrington approach and its champions advocate a strategy that abdicates our responsibility by letting up on control of the virus with no proven means to protect the vulnerable. This will cost lives and if the summer is any indication further damage the economy while pursuing a goal of herd immunity that may prove only temporary even if reached. We must keep up the efforts on both fronts � supporting those at greatest risk while limiting spread of the virus to prevent unnecessary illness and deaths."";""Marc Lipsitch"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"657;2020-10-15 12:00:00;69;""Trump wants to try for herd immunity. Without a vaccine it could kill millions."";""Marc Lipsitch Gregg Gonsalves Carlos del Rio Rochelle P. Walensky"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""President Trump has long seemed fascinated with the idea that herd immunity could provide an easy end to the coronavirus pandemic even before his own diagnosis with covid-19 and his blithe declaration after he checked himself out of the hospital that no one should be afraid of getting it. 'With time it goes away' he told an ABC News town hall last month. 'And you'll develop � you'll develop herd � like a herd mentality. It's going to be � it's going to be herd-developed and that's going to happen. That will all happen.' The neuroradiologist he brought in to advise on the pandemic response over the summer Scott Atlas has argued that rising case counts will bring the nation to herd immunity faster.Now the White House has turned this half-baked idea into an official strategy calling it 'focused protection.' In this approach the virus would be allowed to spread among young healthy people with little attempt to slow it down while officials try to keep older more vulnerable Americans from contracting it. In the modern era herd immunity is best achieved by vaccination when enough people acquire immunity to an infection through a shot in the arm to protect the whole community. That's our goal every flu season it's the reason we vaccinate infants against dreaded childhood diseases. But now the official policy of the Trump administration will be to try to speed up the arrival of herd immunity to the novel coronavirus by letting the virus infect people faster. Without a vaccine though this strategy risks the deaths of millions of Americans.Proponents of herd immunity with 'focused protection' generally oppose mask mandates contact tracing and other measures to slow the spread of the virus because they imagine that infection can be confined to the 'low risk' population and want to hasten infection in that group.After falsely promising that the epidemic would go away 'like a miracle' when the weather turned warm the White House has now found support for its new cold- weather line of wishful thinking in the so-called 'Great Barrington Declaration' a document published last week at a ceremony at a libertarian think tank by three scientists whose views diverge sharply from those of most infectious-disease epidemiologists. On Tuesday night a White House official speaking on the condition of anonymity told reporters that the plan 'is endorsing what the president's strategy has been for months.'Supporters of this view are half right: We must indeed do all in our power to protect the vulnerable. More resources are desperately needed to keep nursing homes safe including considerably increased testing capacity and personal protective equipment better sick leave policies for their staff and smarter ways to deploy staff so that those who may already be immune due to prior infection can interact with the highest-risk residents. More broadly this pandemic disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities so 'the most vulnerable' actually include the poor essential workers and those who society already routinely fails to protect.As we and many others work hard to hone strategies to protect all these populations the administration has failed to support and often hampered such efforts to shield those at highest risk. For example Trump forced meatpacking plants to reopen in April without mandatory protections in place these venues were deemed essential but were hot spots for transmission and disproportionately employ Latino and African American workers.Unfortunately no one has so far devised an approach to protecting the vulnerable that really works especially when the infection is raging in society at large. Surely we should do all we can to change that and surely we all want to get back to our pre-covid-19 lives.Yet until we have a proven means to protect those most at risk and put those safeguards in place letting up on control and plunging ahead in pursuit of herd immunity via massive infection rates amounts to unilateral disarmament. Scientists and clinicians in and out of government have been working hard to protect these groups with little or modest success for most of the year while also attempting to minimize the threat that community transmission poses to them and to all of us � a belt-and-suspenders approach. Letting the virus tear out of control in the population at large before we really know how to protect the vulnerable is like ripping off our suspenders before we have the belt on. Just look at Sweden the poster country for the 'age-targeted' approach: Even the architects of that strategy admit they failed their nursing homes.Even if we had more faith that we could protect those at greatest risk though there are still more fundamental reasons to resist the notion of dropping our guard. That strategy rests on the notion that the virus is harmless to most people and risky only for defined groups that we will get to herd immunity sooner or later so we may as well do it sooner and that if we just tell people to go back to normal life the world as we knew it in 2019 will return.These are all false hopes.Covid-19 is unquestionably worse for someone who is male older sicker or lacks access to health care. But it's dangerous for all of us. It is true that compared with older demographics the young and healthy fare well. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 50 percent of Americans live withunderlying conditions that predispose them to serious outcomes from covid-19. So far42000 Americans under 65 have died from the disease � more than four times as many as typically die in that age group from seasonal flu � and we've only had eight months or so of intense covid-19 activity so the numbers will keep growing. If we let the virus spread uncontrolled in the younger population we will indeed build up some herd immunity that will probably reduce further spread � for a while. But coronavirus immunity is notoriously short-lived and partial: Other coronaviruses are called 'seasonal' because like the flu they circulate every year. The result of letting the infection go in the general population will in all likelihood be a persistent problem not a nightmare followed by a blissful awakening. CDC Director Robert Redfield told Congress in late September that over 90 percent of the U.S. population remains susceptible to this coronavirus citing published data. Recently proponents of herd immunity have pointed to the existence of T cell immunity in some of the unexposed population to suggest a far lower share of the public might truly be susceptible but this misunderstands how T cell immunity works and how epidemiological models are fit to data. Whatever T cells are doing to protect us is already 'baked in' to the estimates that we will need half the population or more to be immune before transmission relents.Returning to pre-pandemic levels of activity risks a return to levels of transmission like those we saw in the hardest-hit places in the early spring such as New York New Orleans and Detroit with hospitals overwhelmed and ICU beds in short supply. All the sacrifices of the last months will have been largely wasted delaying but not fundamentally changing the devastation of an unmitigated pandemic. Among other consequences this will mean that the return to 'normalcy' hoped for by herd- immunity proponents will not occur as fear of exposure would keep people home even if there were no rules requiring it. Indeed economists report that states that ended their spring lockdowns early have had the worst not the best economic outcomes resulting from rampant viral spread.'Flatten the curve' was a good idea when the world first heard the concept in March and it still is. Even if we assume herd immunity will come sooner or later through the natural spread of the infection we should prefer to delay it. A flatter curve with more infections delayed means a health-care system better able to cope with the cases it does have. Treatments are getting better and there are indications that more people who would have died of covid-19 earlier in the outbreak are surviving. Further data suggest that only two-thirds of the 225000 excess deaths from March to August were covid-related an overwhelmed health-care system means there is little reserve to care for all the other diseases hospitals were created to treat. And there is every reason to expect medical care for this new disease to be better in three or six months than it is now. Last and most important vaccines are being tested that might just protect us if we can stay uninfected long enough to get our immunity that way.We can find common ground with the proponents of focused protection on the need to find more and better ways to shield the vulnerable until then and to be smart about what restrictions we use to reduce viral spread. We also agree that control measures are taking a toll on everyone particularly those who are economically disadvantaged. But until we have a way to reduce the devastation of this virus through treatments or vaccines we have a moral obligation to suppress its spread while enhancing economic educational and medical support for those whose lives are most disrupted by our control measures.The question of whether to as Trump put it earlier this year 'go herd' is not a scientific debate. There is no scientific data showing that a country like the United States can protect those at greatest risk while letting the virus spread uncontrolled. The debate is over how to live while we wait for a vaccine good enough to protect the vulnerable and provide herd immunity.The Great Barrington approach and its champions advocate a strategy that abdicates our responsibility by letting up on control of the virus with no proven means to protect the vulnerable. This will cost lives and if the summer is any indication further damage the economy while pursuing a goal of herd immunity that may prove only temporary even if reached. We must keep up the efforts on both fronts � supporting those at greatest risk while limiting spread of the virus to prevent unnecessary illness and deaths."";""Rochelle Walensky"";""Harvard University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"658;2020-10-15 12:00:00;69;""Trump wants to try for herd immunity. Without a vaccine it could kill millions."";""Marc Lipsitch Gregg Gonsalves Carlos del Rio Rochelle P. Walensky"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""President Trump has long seemed fascinated with the idea that herd immunity could provide an easy end to the coronavirus pandemic even before his own diagnosis with covid-19 and his blithe declaration after he checked himself out of the hospital that no one should be afraid of getting it. 'With time it goes away' he told an ABC News town hall last month. 'And you'll develop � you'll develop herd � like a herd mentality. It's going to be � it's going to be herd-developed and that's going to happen. That will all happen.' The neuroradiologist he brought in to advise on the pandemic response over the summer Scott Atlas has argued that rising case counts will bring the nation to herd immunity faster.Now the White House has turned this half-baked idea into an official strategy calling it 'focused protection.' In this approach the virus would be allowed to spread among young healthy people with little attempt to slow it down while officials try to keep older more vulnerable Americans from contracting it. In the modern era herd immunity is best achieved by vaccination when enough people acquire immunity to an infection through a shot in the arm to protect the whole community. That's our goal every flu season it's the reason we vaccinate infants against dreaded childhood diseases. But now the official policy of the Trump administration will be to try to speed up the arrival of herd immunity to the novel coronavirus by letting the virus infect people faster. Without a vaccine though this strategy risks the deaths of millions of Americans.Proponents of herd immunity with 'focused protection' generally oppose mask mandates contact tracing and other measures to slow the spread of the virus because they imagine that infection can be confined to the 'low risk' population and want to hasten infection in that group.After falsely promising that the epidemic would go away 'like a miracle' when the weather turned warm the White House has now found support for its new cold- weather line of wishful thinking in the so-called 'Great Barrington Declaration' a document published last week at a ceremony at a libertarian think tank by three scientists whose views diverge sharply from those of most infectious-disease epidemiologists. On Tuesday night a White House official speaking on the condition of anonymity told reporters that the plan 'is endorsing what the president's strategy has been for months.'Supporters of this view are half right: We must indeed do all in our power to protect the vulnerable. More resources are desperately needed to keep nursing homes safe including considerably increased testing capacity and personal protective equipment better sick leave policies for their staff and smarter ways to deploy staff so that those who may already be immune due to prior infection can interact with the highest-risk residents. More broadly this pandemic disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities so 'the most vulnerable' actually include the poor essential workers and those who society already routinely fails to protect.As we and many others work hard to hone strategies to protect all these populations the administration has failed to support and often hampered such efforts to shield those at highest risk. For example Trump forced meatpacking plants to reopen in April without mandatory protections in place these venues were deemed essential but were hot spots for transmission and disproportionately employ Latino and African American workers.Unfortunately no one has so far devised an approach to protecting the vulnerable that really works especially when the infection is raging in society at large. Surely we should do all we can to change that and surely we all want to get back to our pre-covid-19 lives.Yet until we have a proven means to protect those most at risk and put those safeguards in place letting up on control and plunging ahead in pursuit of herd immunity via massive infection rates amounts to unilateral disarmament. Scientists and clinicians in and out of government have been working hard to protect these groups with little or modest success for most of the year while also attempting to minimize the threat that community transmission poses to them and to all of us � a belt-and-suspenders approach. Letting the virus tear out of control in the population at large before we really know how to protect the vulnerable is like ripping off our suspenders before we have the belt on. Just look at Sweden the poster country for the 'age-targeted' approach: Even the architects of that strategy admit they failed their nursing homes.Even if we had more faith that we could protect those at greatest risk though there are still more fundamental reasons to resist the notion of dropping our guard. That strategy rests on the notion that the virus is harmless to most people and risky only for defined groups that we will get to herd immunity sooner or later so we may as well do it sooner and that if we just tell people to go back to normal life the world as we knew it in 2019 will return.These are all false hopes.Covid-19 is unquestionably worse for someone who is male older sicker or lacks access to health care. But it's dangerous for all of us. It is true that compared with older demographics the young and healthy fare well. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 50 percent of Americans live withunderlying conditions that predispose them to serious outcomes from covid-19. So far42000 Americans under 65 have died from the disease � more than four times as many as typically die in that age group from seasonal flu � and we've only had eight months or so of intense covid-19 activity so the numbers will keep growing. If we let the virus spread uncontrolled in the younger population we will indeed build up some herd immunity that will probably reduce further spread � for a while. But coronavirus immunity is notoriously short-lived and partial: Other coronaviruses are called 'seasonal' because like the flu they circulate every year. The result of letting the infection go in the general population will in all likelihood be a persistent problem not a nightmare followed by a blissful awakening. CDC Director Robert Redfield told Congress in late September that over 90 percent of the U.S. population remains susceptible to this coronavirus citing published data. Recently proponents of herd immunity have pointed to the existence of T cell immunity in some of the unexposed population to suggest a far lower share of the public might truly be susceptible but this misunderstands how T cell immunity works and how epidemiological models are fit to data. Whatever T cells are doing to protect us is already 'baked in' to the estimates that we will need half the population or more to be immune before transmission relents.Returning to pre-pandemic levels of activity risks a return to levels of transmission like those we saw in the hardest-hit places in the early spring such as New York New Orleans and Detroit with hospitals overwhelmed and ICU beds in short supply. All the sacrifices of the last months will have been largely wasted delaying but not fundamentally changing the devastation of an unmitigated pandemic. Among other consequences this will mean that the return to 'normalcy' hoped for by herd- immunity proponents will not occur as fear of exposure would keep people home even if there were no rules requiring it. Indeed economists report that states that ended their spring lockdowns early have had the worst not the best economic outcomes resulting from rampant viral spread.'Flatten the curve' was a good idea when the world first heard the concept in March and it still is. Even if we assume herd immunity will come sooner or later through the natural spread of the infection we should prefer to delay it. A flatter curve with more infections delayed means a health-care system better able to cope with the cases it does have. Treatments are getting better and there are indications that more people who would have died of covid-19 earlier in the outbreak are surviving. Further data suggest that only two-thirds of the 225000 excess deaths from March to August were covid-related an overwhelmed health-care system means there is little reserve to care for all the other diseases hospitals were created to treat. And there is every reason to expect medical care for this new disease to be better in three or six months than it is now. Last and most important vaccines are being tested that might just protect us if we can stay uninfected long enough to get our immunity that way.We can find common ground with the proponents of focused protection on the need to find more and better ways to shield the vulnerable until then and to be smart about what restrictions we use to reduce viral spread. We also agree that control measures are taking a toll on everyone particularly those who are economically disadvantaged. But until we have a way to reduce the devastation of this virus through treatments or vaccines we have a moral obligation to suppress its spread while enhancing economic educational and medical support for those whose lives are most disrupted by our control measures.The question of whether to as Trump put it earlier this year 'go herd' is not a scientific debate. There is no scientific data showing that a country like the United States can protect those at greatest risk while letting the virus spread uncontrolled. The debate is over how to live while we wait for a vaccine good enough to protect the vulnerable and provide herd immunity.The Great Barrington approach and its champions advocate a strategy that abdicates our responsibility by letting up on control of the virus with no proven means to protect the vulnerable. This will cost lives and if the summer is any indication further damage the economy while pursuing a goal of herd immunity that may prove only temporary even if reached. We must keep up the efforts on both fronts � supporting those at greatest risk while limiting spread of the virus to prevent unnecessary illness and deaths."";""Rochelle Walensky"";""Harvard University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"659;2020-10-15 12:00:00;69;""Trump wants to try for herd immunity. Without a vaccine it could kill millions."";""Marc Lipsitch Gregg Gonsalves Carlos del Rio Rochelle P. Walensky"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""President Trump has long seemed fascinated with the idea that herd immunity could provide an easy end to the coronavirus pandemic even before his own diagnosis with covid-19 and his blithe declaration after he checked himself out of the hospital that no one should be afraid of getting it. 'With time it goes away' he told an ABC News town hall last month. 'And you'll develop � you'll develop herd � like a herd mentality. It's going to be � it's going to be herd-developed and that's going to happen. That will all happen.' The neuroradiologist he brought in to advise on the pandemic response over the summer Scott Atlas has argued that rising case counts will bring the nation to herd immunity faster.Now the White House has turned this half-baked idea into an official strategy calling it 'focused protection.' In this approach the virus would be allowed to spread among young healthy people with little attempt to slow it down while officials try to keep older more vulnerable Americans from contracting it. In the modern era herd immunity is best achieved by vaccination when enough people acquire immunity to an infection through a shot in the arm to protect the whole community. That's our goal every flu season it's the reason we vaccinate infants against dreaded childhood diseases. But now the official policy of the Trump administration will be to try to speed up the arrival of herd immunity to the novel coronavirus by letting the virus infect people faster. Without a vaccine though this strategy risks the deaths of millions of Americans.Proponents of herd immunity with 'focused protection' generally oppose mask mandates contact tracing and other measures to slow the spread of the virus because they imagine that infection can be confined to the 'low risk' population and want to hasten infection in that group.After falsely promising that the epidemic would go away 'like a miracle' when the weather turned warm the White House has now found support for its new cold- weather line of wishful thinking in the so-called 'Great Barrington Declaration' a document published last week at a ceremony at a libertarian think tank by three scientists whose views diverge sharply from those of most infectious-disease epidemiologists. On Tuesday night a White House official speaking on the condition of anonymity told reporters that the plan 'is endorsing what the president's strategy has been for months.'Supporters of this view are half right: We must indeed do all in our power to protect the vulnerable. More resources are desperately needed to keep nursing homes safe including considerably increased testing capacity and personal protective equipment better sick leave policies for their staff and smarter ways to deploy staff so that those who may already be immune due to prior infection can interact with the highest-risk residents. More broadly this pandemic disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities so 'the most vulnerable' actually include the poor essential workers and those who society already routinely fails to protect.As we and many others work hard to hone strategies to protect all these populations the administration has failed to support and often hampered such efforts to shield those at highest risk. For example Trump forced meatpacking plants to reopen in April without mandatory protections in place these venues were deemed essential but were hot spots for transmission and disproportionately employ Latino and African American workers.Unfortunately no one has so far devised an approach to protecting the vulnerable that really works especially when the infection is raging in society at large. Surely we should do all we can to change that and surely we all want to get back to our pre-covid-19 lives.Yet until we have a proven means to protect those most at risk and put those safeguards in place letting up on control and plunging ahead in pursuit of herd immunity via massive infection rates amounts to unilateral disarmament. Scientists and clinicians in and out of government have been working hard to protect these groups with little or modest success for most of the year while also attempting to minimize the threat that community transmission poses to them and to all of us � a belt-and-suspenders approach. Letting the virus tear out of control in the population at large before we really know how to protect the vulnerable is like ripping off our suspenders before we have the belt on. Just look at Sweden the poster country for the 'age-targeted' approach: Even the architects of that strategy admit they failed their nursing homes.Even if we had more faith that we could protect those at greatest risk though there are still more fundamental reasons to resist the notion of dropping our guard. That strategy rests on the notion that the virus is harmless to most people and risky only for defined groups that we will get to herd immunity sooner or later so we may as well do it sooner and that if we just tell people to go back to normal life the world as we knew it in 2019 will return.These are all false hopes.Covid-19 is unquestionably worse for someone who is male older sicker or lacks access to health care. But it's dangerous for all of us. It is true that compared with older demographics the young and healthy fare well. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 50 percent of Americans live withunderlying conditions that predispose them to serious outcomes from covid-19. So far42000 Americans under 65 have died from the disease � more than four times as many as typically die in that age group from seasonal flu � and we've only had eight months or so of intense covid-19 activity so the numbers will keep growing. If we let the virus spread uncontrolled in the younger population we will indeed build up some herd immunity that will probably reduce further spread � for a while. But coronavirus immunity is notoriously short-lived and partial: Other coronaviruses are called 'seasonal' because like the flu they circulate every year. The result of letting the infection go in the general population will in all likelihood be a persistent problem not a nightmare followed by a blissful awakening. CDC Director Robert Redfield told Congress in late September that over 90 percent of the U.S. population remains susceptible to this coronavirus citing published data. Recently proponents of herd immunity have pointed to the existence of T cell immunity in some of the unexposed population to suggest a far lower share of the public might truly be susceptible but this misunderstands how T cell immunity works and how epidemiological models are fit to data. Whatever T cells are doing to protect us is already 'baked in' to the estimates that we will need half the population or more to be immune before transmission relents.Returning to pre-pandemic levels of activity risks a return to levels of transmission like those we saw in the hardest-hit places in the early spring such as New York New Orleans and Detroit with hospitals overwhelmed and ICU beds in short supply. All the sacrifices of the last months will have been largely wasted delaying but not fundamentally changing the devastation of an unmitigated pandemic. Among other consequences this will mean that the return to 'normalcy' hoped for by herd- immunity proponents will not occur as fear of exposure would keep people home even if there were no rules requiring it. Indeed economists report that states that ended their spring lockdowns early have had the worst not the best economic outcomes resulting from rampant viral spread.'Flatten the curve' was a good idea when the world first heard the concept in March and it still is. Even if we assume herd immunity will come sooner or later through the natural spread of the infection we should prefer to delay it. A flatter curve with more infections delayed means a health-care system better able to cope with the cases it does have. Treatments are getting better and there are indications that more people who would have died of covid-19 earlier in the outbreak are surviving. Further data suggest that only two-thirds of the 225000 excess deaths from March to August were covid-related an overwhelmed health-care system means there is little reserve to care for all the other diseases hospitals were created to treat. And there is every reason to expect medical care for this new disease to be better in three or six months than it is now. Last and most important vaccines are being tested that might just protect us if we can stay uninfected long enough to get our immunity that way.We can find common ground with the proponents of focused protection on the need to find more and better ways to shield the vulnerable until then and to be smart about what restrictions we use to reduce viral spread. We also agree that control measures are taking a toll on everyone particularly those who are economically disadvantaged. But until we have a way to reduce the devastation of this virus through treatments or vaccines we have a moral obligation to suppress its spread while enhancing economic educational and medical support for those whose lives are most disrupted by our control measures.The question of whether to as Trump put it earlier this year 'go herd' is not a scientific debate. There is no scientific data showing that a country like the United States can protect those at greatest risk while letting the virus spread uncontrolled. The debate is over how to live while we wait for a vaccine good enough to protect the vulnerable and provide herd immunity.The Great Barrington approach and its champions advocate a strategy that abdicates our responsibility by letting up on control of the virus with no proven means to protect the vulnerable. This will cost lives and if the summer is any indication further damage the economy while pursuing a goal of herd immunity that may prove only temporary even if reached. We must keep up the efforts on both fronts � supporting those at greatest risk while limiting spread of the virus to prevent unnecessary illness and deaths."";""Rochelle Walensky"";""Harvard University"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"660;2020-10-15 12:00:00;69;""Trump wants to try for herd immunity. Without a vaccine it could kill millions."";""Marc Lipsitch Gregg Gonsalves Carlos del Rio Rochelle P. Walensky"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""President Trump has long seemed fascinated with the idea that herd immunity could provide an easy end to the coronavirus pandemic even before his own diagnosis with covid-19 and his blithe declaration after he checked himself out of the hospital that no one should be afraid of getting it. 'With time it goes away' he told an ABC News town hall last month. 'And you'll develop � you'll develop herd � like a herd mentality. It's going to be � it's going to be herd-developed and that's going to happen. That will all happen.' The neuroradiologist he brought in to advise on the pandemic response over the summer Scott Atlas has argued that rising case counts will bring the nation to herd immunity faster.Now the White House has turned this half-baked idea into an official strategy calling it 'focused protection.' In this approach the virus would be allowed to spread among young healthy people with little attempt to slow it down while officials try to keep older more vulnerable Americans from contracting it. In the modern era herd immunity is best achieved by vaccination when enough people acquire immunity to an infection through a shot in the arm to protect the whole community. That's our goal every flu season it's the reason we vaccinate infants against dreaded childhood diseases. But now the official policy of the Trump administration will be to try to speed up the arrival of herd immunity to the novel coronavirus by letting the virus infect people faster. Without a vaccine though this strategy risks the deaths of millions of Americans.Proponents of herd immunity with 'focused protection' generally oppose mask mandates contact tracing and other measures to slow the spread of the virus because they imagine that infection can be confined to the 'low risk' population and want to hasten infection in that group.After falsely promising that the epidemic would go away 'like a miracle' when the weather turned warm the White House has now found support for its new cold- weather line of wishful thinking in the so-called 'Great Barrington Declaration' a document published last week at a ceremony at a libertarian think tank by three scientists whose views diverge sharply from those of most infectious-disease epidemiologists. On Tuesday night a White House official speaking on the condition of anonymity told reporters that the plan 'is endorsing what the president's strategy has been for months.'Supporters of this view are half right: We must indeed do all in our power to protect the vulnerable. More resources are desperately needed to keep nursing homes safe including considerably increased testing capacity and personal protective equipment better sick leave policies for their staff and smarter ways to deploy staff so that those who may already be immune due to prior infection can interact with the highest-risk residents. More broadly this pandemic disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities so 'the most vulnerable' actually include the poor essential workers and those who society already routinely fails to protect.As we and many others work hard to hone strategies to protect all these populations the administration has failed to support and often hampered such efforts to shield those at highest risk. For example Trump forced meatpacking plants to reopen in April without mandatory protections in place these venues were deemed essential but were hot spots for transmission and disproportionately employ Latino and African American workers.Unfortunately no one has so far devised an approach to protecting the vulnerable that really works especially when the infection is raging in society at large. Surely we should do all we can to change that and surely we all want to get back to our pre-covid-19 lives.Yet until we have a proven means to protect those most at risk and put those safeguards in place letting up on control and plunging ahead in pursuit of herd immunity via massive infection rates amounts to unilateral disarmament. Scientists and clinicians in and out of government have been working hard to protect these groups with little or modest success for most of the year while also attempting to minimize the threat that community transmission poses to them and to all of us � a belt-and-suspenders approach. Letting the virus tear out of control in the population at large before we really know how to protect the vulnerable is like ripping off our suspenders before we have the belt on. Just look at Sweden the poster country for the 'age-targeted' approach: Even the architects of that strategy admit they failed their nursing homes.Even if we had more faith that we could protect those at greatest risk though there are still more fundamental reasons to resist the notion of dropping our guard. That strategy rests on the notion that the virus is harmless to most people and risky only for defined groups that we will get to herd immunity sooner or later so we may as well do it sooner and that if we just tell people to go back to normal life the world as we knew it in 2019 will return.These are all false hopes.Covid-19 is unquestionably worse for someone who is male older sicker or lacks access to health care. But it's dangerous for all of us. It is true that compared with older demographics the young and healthy fare well. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 50 percent of Americans live withunderlying conditions that predispose them to serious outcomes from covid-19. So far42000 Americans under 65 have died from the disease � more than four times as many as typically die in that age group from seasonal flu � and we've only had eight months or so of intense covid-19 activity so the numbers will keep growing. If we let the virus spread uncontrolled in the younger population we will indeed build up some herd immunity that will probably reduce further spread � for a while. But coronavirus immunity is notoriously short-lived and partial: Other coronaviruses are called 'seasonal' because like the flu they circulate every year. The result of letting the infection go in the general population will in all likelihood be a persistent problem not a nightmare followed by a blissful awakening. CDC Director Robert Redfield told Congress in late September that over 90 percent of the U.S. population remains susceptible to this coronavirus citing published data. Recently proponents of herd immunity have pointed to the existence of T cell immunity in some of the unexposed population to suggest a far lower share of the public might truly be susceptible but this misunderstands how T cell immunity works and how epidemiological models are fit to data. Whatever T cells are doing to protect us is already 'baked in' to the estimates that we will need half the population or more to be immune before transmission relents.Returning to pre-pandemic levels of activity risks a return to levels of transmission like those we saw in the hardest-hit places in the early spring such as New York New Orleans and Detroit with hospitals overwhelmed and ICU beds in short supply. All the sacrifices of the last months will have been largely wasted delaying but not fundamentally changing the devastation of an unmitigated pandemic. Among other consequences this will mean that the return to 'normalcy' hoped for by herd- immunity proponents will not occur as fear of exposure would keep people home even if there were no rules requiring it. Indeed economists report that states that ended their spring lockdowns early have had the worst not the best economic outcomes resulting from rampant viral spread.'Flatten the curve' was a good idea when the world first heard the concept in March and it still is. Even if we assume herd immunity will come sooner or later through the natural spread of the infection we should prefer to delay it. A flatter curve with more infections delayed means a health-care system better able to cope with the cases it does have. Treatments are getting better and there are indications that more people who would have died of covid-19 earlier in the outbreak are surviving. Further data suggest that only two-thirds of the 225000 excess deaths from March to August were covid-related an overwhelmed health-care system means there is little reserve to care for all the other diseases hospitals were created to treat. And there is every reason to expect medical care for this new disease to be better in three or six months than it is now. Last and most important vaccines are being tested that might just protect us if we can stay uninfected long enough to get our immunity that way.We can find common ground with the proponents of focused protection on the need to find more and better ways to shield the vulnerable until then and to be smart about what restrictions we use to reduce viral spread. We also agree that control measures are taking a toll on everyone particularly those who are economically disadvantaged. But until we have a way to reduce the devastation of this virus through treatments or vaccines we have a moral obligation to suppress its spread while enhancing economic educational and medical support for those whose lives are most disrupted by our control measures.The question of whether to as Trump put it earlier this year 'go herd' is not a scientific debate. There is no scientific data showing that a country like the United States can protect those at greatest risk while letting the virus spread uncontrolled. The debate is over how to live while we wait for a vaccine good enough to protect the vulnerable and provide herd immunity.The Great Barrington approach and its champions advocate a strategy that abdicates our responsibility by letting up on control of the virus with no proven means to protect the vulnerable. This will cost lives and if the summer is any indication further damage the economy while pursuing a goal of herd immunity that may prove only temporary even if reached. We must keep up the efforts on both fronts � supporting those at greatest risk while limiting spread of the virus to prevent unnecessary illness and deaths."";""Rochelle Walensky"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"661;2020-10-15 12:00:00;69;""Trump wants to try for herd immunity. Without a vaccine it could kill millions."";""Marc Lipsitch Gregg Gonsalves Carlos del Rio Rochelle P. Walensky"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""President Trump has long seemed fascinated with the idea that herd immunity could provide an easy end to the coronavirus pandemic even before his own diagnosis with covid-19 and his blithe declaration after he checked himself out of the hospital that no one should be afraid of getting it. 'With time it goes away' he told an ABC News town hall last month. 'And you'll develop � you'll develop herd � like a herd mentality. It's going to be � it's going to be herd-developed and that's going to happen. That will all happen.' The neuroradiologist he brought in to advise on the pandemic response over the summer Scott Atlas has argued that rising case counts will bring the nation to herd immunity faster.Now the White House has turned this half-baked idea into an official strategy calling it 'focused protection.' In this approach the virus would be allowed to spread among young healthy people with little attempt to slow it down while officials try to keep older more vulnerable Americans from contracting it. In the modern era herd immunity is best achieved by vaccination when enough people acquire immunity to an infection through a shot in the arm to protect the whole community. That's our goal every flu season it's the reason we vaccinate infants against dreaded childhood diseases. But now the official policy of the Trump administration will be to try to speed up the arrival of herd immunity to the novel coronavirus by letting the virus infect people faster. Without a vaccine though this strategy risks the deaths of millions of Americans.Proponents of herd immunity with 'focused protection' generally oppose mask mandates contact tracing and other measures to slow the spread of the virus because they imagine that infection can be confined to the 'low risk' population and want to hasten infection in that group.After falsely promising that the epidemic would go away 'like a miracle' when the weather turned warm the White House has now found support for its new cold- weather line of wishful thinking in the so-called 'Great Barrington Declaration' a document published last week at a ceremony at a libertarian think tank by three scientists whose views diverge sharply from those of most infectious-disease epidemiologists. On Tuesday night a White House official speaking on the condition of anonymity told reporters that the plan 'is endorsing what the president's strategy has been for months.'Supporters of this view are half right: We must indeed do all in our power to protect the vulnerable. More resources are desperately needed to keep nursing homes safe including considerably increased testing capacity and personal protective equipment better sick leave policies for their staff and smarter ways to deploy staff so that those who may already be immune due to prior infection can interact with the highest-risk residents. More broadly this pandemic disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities so 'the most vulnerable' actually include the poor essential workers and those who society already routinely fails to protect.As we and many others work hard to hone strategies to protect all these populations the administration has failed to support and often hampered such efforts to shield those at highest risk. For example Trump forced meatpacking plants to reopen in April without mandatory protections in place these venues were deemed essential but were hot spots for transmission and disproportionately employ Latino and African American workers.Unfortunately no one has so far devised an approach to protecting the vulnerable that really works especially when the infection is raging in society at large. Surely we should do all we can to change that and surely we all want to get back to our pre-covid-19 lives.Yet until we have a proven means to protect those most at risk and put those safeguards in place letting up on control and plunging ahead in pursuit of herd immunity via massive infection rates amounts to unilateral disarmament. Scientists and clinicians in and out of government have been working hard to protect these groups with little or modest success for most of the year while also attempting to minimize the threat that community transmission poses to them and to all of us � a belt-and-suspenders approach. Letting the virus tear out of control in the population at large before we really know how to protect the vulnerable is like ripping off our suspenders before we have the belt on. Just look at Sweden the poster country for the 'age-targeted' approach: Even the architects of that strategy admit they failed their nursing homes.Even if we had more faith that we could protect those at greatest risk though there are still more fundamental reasons to resist the notion of dropping our guard. That strategy rests on the notion that the virus is harmless to most people and risky only for defined groups that we will get to herd immunity sooner or later so we may as well do it sooner and that if we just tell people to go back to normal life the world as we knew it in 2019 will return.These are all false hopes.Covid-19 is unquestionably worse for someone who is male older sicker or lacks access to health care. But it's dangerous for all of us. It is true that compared with older demographics the young and healthy fare well. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 50 percent of Americans live withunderlying conditions that predispose them to serious outcomes from covid-19. So far42000 Americans under 65 have died from the disease � more than four times as many as typically die in that age group from seasonal flu � and we've only had eight months or so of intense covid-19 activity so the numbers will keep growing. If we let the virus spread uncontrolled in the younger population we will indeed build up some herd immunity that will probably reduce further spread � for a while. But coronavirus immunity is notoriously short-lived and partial: Other coronaviruses are called 'seasonal' because like the flu they circulate every year. The result of letting the infection go in the general population will in all likelihood be a persistent problem not a nightmare followed by a blissful awakening. CDC Director Robert Redfield told Congress in late September that over 90 percent of the U.S. population remains susceptible to this coronavirus citing published data. Recently proponents of herd immunity have pointed to the existence of T cell immunity in some of the unexposed population to suggest a far lower share of the public might truly be susceptible but this misunderstands how T cell immunity works and how epidemiological models are fit to data. Whatever T cells are doing to protect us is already 'baked in' to the estimates that we will need half the population or more to be immune before transmission relents.Returning to pre-pandemic levels of activity risks a return to levels of transmission like those we saw in the hardest-hit places in the early spring such as New York New Orleans and Detroit with hospitals overwhelmed and ICU beds in short supply. All the sacrifices of the last months will have been largely wasted delaying but not fundamentally changing the devastation of an unmitigated pandemic. Among other consequences this will mean that the return to 'normalcy' hoped for by herd- immunity proponents will not occur as fear of exposure would keep people home even if there were no rules requiring it. Indeed economists report that states that ended their spring lockdowns early have had the worst not the best economic outcomes resulting from rampant viral spread.'Flatten the curve' was a good idea when the world first heard the concept in March and it still is. Even if we assume herd immunity will come sooner or later through the natural spread of the infection we should prefer to delay it. A flatter curve with more infections delayed means a health-care system better able to cope with the cases it does have. Treatments are getting better and there are indications that more people who would have died of covid-19 earlier in the outbreak are surviving. Further data suggest that only two-thirds of the 225000 excess deaths from March to August were covid-related an overwhelmed health-care system means there is little reserve to care for all the other diseases hospitals were created to treat. And there is every reason to expect medical care for this new disease to be better in three or six months than it is now. Last and most important vaccines are being tested that might just protect us if we can stay uninfected long enough to get our immunity that way.We can find common ground with the proponents of focused protection on the need to find more and better ways to shield the vulnerable until then and to be smart about what restrictions we use to reduce viral spread. We also agree that control measures are taking a toll on everyone particularly those who are economically disadvantaged. But until we have a way to reduce the devastation of this virus through treatments or vaccines we have a moral obligation to suppress its spread while enhancing economic educational and medical support for those whose lives are most disrupted by our control measures.The question of whether to as Trump put it earlier this year 'go herd' is not a scientific debate. There is no scientific data showing that a country like the United States can protect those at greatest risk while letting the virus spread uncontrolled. The debate is over how to live while we wait for a vaccine good enough to protect the vulnerable and provide herd immunity.The Great Barrington approach and its champions advocate a strategy that abdicates our responsibility by letting up on control of the virus with no proven means to protect the vulnerable. This will cost lives and if the summer is any indication further damage the economy while pursuing a goal of herd immunity that may prove only temporary even if reached. We must keep up the efforts on both fronts � supporting those at greatest risk while limiting spread of the virus to prevent unnecessary illness and deaths."";""Gregg Gonsalves"";""Yale University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"662;2020-10-15 12:00:00;69;""Trump wants to try for herd immunity. Without a vaccine it could kill millions."";""Marc Lipsitch Gregg Gonsalves Carlos del Rio Rochelle P. Walensky"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""President Trump has long seemed fascinated with the idea that herd immunity could provide an easy end to the coronavirus pandemic even before his own diagnosis with covid-19 and his blithe declaration after he checked himself out of the hospital that no one should be afraid of getting it. 'With time it goes away' he told an ABC News town hall last month. 'And you'll develop � you'll develop herd � like a herd mentality. It's going to be � it's going to be herd-developed and that's going to happen. That will all happen.' The neuroradiologist he brought in to advise on the pandemic response over the summer Scott Atlas has argued that rising case counts will bring the nation to herd immunity faster.Now the White House has turned this half-baked idea into an official strategy calling it 'focused protection.' In this approach the virus would be allowed to spread among young healthy people with little attempt to slow it down while officials try to keep older more vulnerable Americans from contracting it. In the modern era herd immunity is best achieved by vaccination when enough people acquire immunity to an infection through a shot in the arm to protect the whole community. That's our goal every flu season it's the reason we vaccinate infants against dreaded childhood diseases. But now the official policy of the Trump administration will be to try to speed up the arrival of herd immunity to the novel coronavirus by letting the virus infect people faster. Without a vaccine though this strategy risks the deaths of millions of Americans.Proponents of herd immunity with 'focused protection' generally oppose mask mandates contact tracing and other measures to slow the spread of the virus because they imagine that infection can be confined to the 'low risk' population and want to hasten infection in that group.After falsely promising that the epidemic would go away 'like a miracle' when the weather turned warm the White House has now found support for its new cold- weather line of wishful thinking in the so-called 'Great Barrington Declaration' a document published last week at a ceremony at a libertarian think tank by three scientists whose views diverge sharply from those of most infectious-disease epidemiologists. On Tuesday night a White House official speaking on the condition of anonymity told reporters that the plan 'is endorsing what the president's strategy has been for months.'Supporters of this view are half right: We must indeed do all in our power to protect the vulnerable. More resources are desperately needed to keep nursing homes safe including considerably increased testing capacity and personal protective equipment better sick leave policies for their staff and smarter ways to deploy staff so that those who may already be immune due to prior infection can interact with the highest-risk residents. More broadly this pandemic disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities so 'the most vulnerable' actually include the poor essential workers and those who society already routinely fails to protect.As we and many others work hard to hone strategies to protect all these populations the administration has failed to support and often hampered such efforts to shield those at highest risk. For example Trump forced meatpacking plants to reopen in April without mandatory protections in place these venues were deemed essential but were hot spots for transmission and disproportionately employ Latino and African American workers.Unfortunately no one has so far devised an approach to protecting the vulnerable that really works especially when the infection is raging in society at large. Surely we should do all we can to change that and surely we all want to get back to our pre-covid-19 lives.Yet until we have a proven means to protect those most at risk and put those safeguards in place letting up on control and plunging ahead in pursuit of herd immunity via massive infection rates amounts to unilateral disarmament. Scientists and clinicians in and out of government have been working hard to protect these groups with little or modest success for most of the year while also attempting to minimize the threat that community transmission poses to them and to all of us � a belt-and-suspenders approach. Letting the virus tear out of control in the population at large before we really know how to protect the vulnerable is like ripping off our suspenders before we have the belt on. Just look at Sweden the poster country for the 'age-targeted' approach: Even the architects of that strategy admit they failed their nursing homes.Even if we had more faith that we could protect those at greatest risk though there are still more fundamental reasons to resist the notion of dropping our guard. That strategy rests on the notion that the virus is harmless to most people and risky only for defined groups that we will get to herd immunity sooner or later so we may as well do it sooner and that if we just tell people to go back to normal life the world as we knew it in 2019 will return.These are all false hopes.Covid-19 is unquestionably worse for someone who is male older sicker or lacks access to health care. But it's dangerous for all of us. It is true that compared with older demographics the young and healthy fare well. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 50 percent of Americans live withunderlying conditions that predispose them to serious outcomes from covid-19. So far42000 Americans under 65 have died from the disease � more than four times as many as typically die in that age group from seasonal flu � and we've only had eight months or so of intense covid-19 activity so the numbers will keep growing. If we let the virus spread uncontrolled in the younger population we will indeed build up some herd immunity that will probably reduce further spread � for a while. But coronavirus immunity is notoriously short-lived and partial: Other coronaviruses are called 'seasonal' because like the flu they circulate every year. The result of letting the infection go in the general population will in all likelihood be a persistent problem not a nightmare followed by a blissful awakening. CDC Director Robert Redfield told Congress in late September that over 90 percent of the U.S. population remains susceptible to this coronavirus citing published data. Recently proponents of herd immunity have pointed to the existence of T cell immunity in some of the unexposed population to suggest a far lower share of the public might truly be susceptible but this misunderstands how T cell immunity works and how epidemiological models are fit to data. Whatever T cells are doing to protect us is already 'baked in' to the estimates that we will need half the population or more to be immune before transmission relents.Returning to pre-pandemic levels of activity risks a return to levels of transmission like those we saw in the hardest-hit places in the early spring such as New York New Orleans and Detroit with hospitals overwhelmed and ICU beds in short supply. All the sacrifices of the last months will have been largely wasted delaying but not fundamentally changing the devastation of an unmitigated pandemic. Among other consequences this will mean that the return to 'normalcy' hoped for by herd- immunity proponents will not occur as fear of exposure would keep people home even if there were no rules requiring it. Indeed economists report that states that ended their spring lockdowns early have had the worst not the best economic outcomes resulting from rampant viral spread.'Flatten the curve' was a good idea when the world first heard the concept in March and it still is. Even if we assume herd immunity will come sooner or later through the natural spread of the infection we should prefer to delay it. A flatter curve with more infections delayed means a health-care system better able to cope with the cases it does have. Treatments are getting better and there are indications that more people who would have died of covid-19 earlier in the outbreak are surviving. Further data suggest that only two-thirds of the 225000 excess deaths from March to August were covid-related an overwhelmed health-care system means there is little reserve to care for all the other diseases hospitals were created to treat. And there is every reason to expect medical care for this new disease to be better in three or six months than it is now. Last and most important vaccines are being tested that might just protect us if we can stay uninfected long enough to get our immunity that way.We can find common ground with the proponents of focused protection on the need to find more and better ways to shield the vulnerable until then and to be smart about what restrictions we use to reduce viral spread. We also agree that control measures are taking a toll on everyone particularly those who are economically disadvantaged. But until we have a way to reduce the devastation of this virus through treatments or vaccines we have a moral obligation to suppress its spread while enhancing economic educational and medical support for those whose lives are most disrupted by our control measures.The question of whether to as Trump put it earlier this year 'go herd' is not a scientific debate. There is no scientific data showing that a country like the United States can protect those at greatest risk while letting the virus spread uncontrolled. The debate is over how to live while we wait for a vaccine good enough to protect the vulnerable and provide herd immunity.The Great Barrington approach and its champions advocate a strategy that abdicates our responsibility by letting up on control of the virus with no proven means to protect the vulnerable. This will cost lives and if the summer is any indication further damage the economy while pursuing a goal of herd immunity that may prove only temporary even if reached. We must keep up the efforts on both fronts � supporting those at greatest risk while limiting spread of the virus to prevent unnecessary illness and deaths."";""Gregg Gonsalves"";""Yale University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"663;2020-10-15 12:00:00;69;""Trump wants to try for herd immunity. Without a vaccine it could kill millions."";""Marc Lipsitch Gregg Gonsalves Carlos del Rio Rochelle P. Walensky"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""President Trump has long seemed fascinated with the idea that herd immunity could provide an easy end to the coronavirus pandemic even before his own diagnosis with covid-19 and his blithe declaration after he checked himself out of the hospital that no one should be afraid of getting it. 'With time it goes away' he told an ABC News town hall last month. 'And you'll develop � you'll develop herd � like a herd mentality. It's going to be � it's going to be herd-developed and that's going to happen. That will all happen.' The neuroradiologist he brought in to advise on the pandemic response over the summer Scott Atlas has argued that rising case counts will bring the nation to herd immunity faster.Now the White House has turned this half-baked idea into an official strategy calling it 'focused protection.' In this approach the virus would be allowed to spread among young healthy people with little attempt to slow it down while officials try to keep older more vulnerable Americans from contracting it. In the modern era herd immunity is best achieved by vaccination when enough people acquire immunity to an infection through a shot in the arm to protect the whole community. That's our goal every flu season it's the reason we vaccinate infants against dreaded childhood diseases. But now the official policy of the Trump administration will be to try to speed up the arrival of herd immunity to the novel coronavirus by letting the virus infect people faster. Without a vaccine though this strategy risks the deaths of millions of Americans.Proponents of herd immunity with 'focused protection' generally oppose mask mandates contact tracing and other measures to slow the spread of the virus because they imagine that infection can be confined to the 'low risk' population and want to hasten infection in that group.After falsely promising that the epidemic would go away 'like a miracle' when the weather turned warm the White House has now found support for its new cold- weather line of wishful thinking in the so-called 'Great Barrington Declaration' a document published last week at a ceremony at a libertarian think tank by three scientists whose views diverge sharply from those of most infectious-disease epidemiologists. On Tuesday night a White House official speaking on the condition of anonymity told reporters that the plan 'is endorsing what the president's strategy has been for months.'Supporters of this view are half right: We must indeed do all in our power to protect the vulnerable. More resources are desperately needed to keep nursing homes safe including considerably increased testing capacity and personal protective equipment better sick leave policies for their staff and smarter ways to deploy staff so that those who may already be immune due to prior infection can interact with the highest-risk residents. More broadly this pandemic disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities so 'the most vulnerable' actually include the poor essential workers and those who society already routinely fails to protect.As we and many others work hard to hone strategies to protect all these populations the administration has failed to support and often hampered such efforts to shield those at highest risk. For example Trump forced meatpacking plants to reopen in April without mandatory protections in place these venues were deemed essential but were hot spots for transmission and disproportionately employ Latino and African American workers.Unfortunately no one has so far devised an approach to protecting the vulnerable that really works especially when the infection is raging in society at large. Surely we should do all we can to change that and surely we all want to get back to our pre-covid-19 lives.Yet until we have a proven means to protect those most at risk and put those safeguards in place letting up on control and plunging ahead in pursuit of herd immunity via massive infection rates amounts to unilateral disarmament. Scientists and clinicians in and out of government have been working hard to protect these groups with little or modest success for most of the year while also attempting to minimize the threat that community transmission poses to them and to all of us � a belt-and-suspenders approach. Letting the virus tear out of control in the population at large before we really know how to protect the vulnerable is like ripping off our suspenders before we have the belt on. Just look at Sweden the poster country for the 'age-targeted' approach: Even the architects of that strategy admit they failed their nursing homes.Even if we had more faith that we could protect those at greatest risk though there are still more fundamental reasons to resist the notion of dropping our guard. That strategy rests on the notion that the virus is harmless to most people and risky only for defined groups that we will get to herd immunity sooner or later so we may as well do it sooner and that if we just tell people to go back to normal life the world as we knew it in 2019 will return.These are all false hopes.Covid-19 is unquestionably worse for someone who is male older sicker or lacks access to health care. But it's dangerous for all of us. It is true that compared with older demographics the young and healthy fare well. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 50 percent of Americans live withunderlying conditions that predispose them to serious outcomes from covid-19. So far42000 Americans under 65 have died from the disease � more than four times as many as typically die in that age group from seasonal flu � and we've only had eight months or so of intense covid-19 activity so the numbers will keep growing. If we let the virus spread uncontrolled in the younger population we will indeed build up some herd immunity that will probably reduce further spread � for a while. But coronavirus immunity is notoriously short-lived and partial: Other coronaviruses are called 'seasonal' because like the flu they circulate every year. The result of letting the infection go in the general population will in all likelihood be a persistent problem not a nightmare followed by a blissful awakening. CDC Director Robert Redfield told Congress in late September that over 90 percent of the U.S. population remains susceptible to this coronavirus citing published data. Recently proponents of herd immunity have pointed to the existence of T cell immunity in some of the unexposed population to suggest a far lower share of the public might truly be susceptible but this misunderstands how T cell immunity works and how epidemiological models are fit to data. Whatever T cells are doing to protect us is already 'baked in' to the estimates that we will need half the population or more to be immune before transmission relents.Returning to pre-pandemic levels of activity risks a return to levels of transmission like those we saw in the hardest-hit places in the early spring such as New York New Orleans and Detroit with hospitals overwhelmed and ICU beds in short supply. All the sacrifices of the last months will have been largely wasted delaying but not fundamentally changing the devastation of an unmitigated pandemic. Among other consequences this will mean that the return to 'normalcy' hoped for by herd- immunity proponents will not occur as fear of exposure would keep people home even if there were no rules requiring it. Indeed economists report that states that ended their spring lockdowns early have had the worst not the best economic outcomes resulting from rampant viral spread.'Flatten the curve' was a good idea when the world first heard the concept in March and it still is. Even if we assume herd immunity will come sooner or later through the natural spread of the infection we should prefer to delay it. A flatter curve with more infections delayed means a health-care system better able to cope with the cases it does have. Treatments are getting better and there are indications that more people who would have died of covid-19 earlier in the outbreak are surviving. Further data suggest that only two-thirds of the 225000 excess deaths from March to August were covid-related an overwhelmed health-care system means there is little reserve to care for all the other diseases hospitals were created to treat. And there is every reason to expect medical care for this new disease to be better in three or six months than it is now. Last and most important vaccines are being tested that might just protect us if we can stay uninfected long enough to get our immunity that way.We can find common ground with the proponents of focused protection on the need to find more and better ways to shield the vulnerable until then and to be smart about what restrictions we use to reduce viral spread. We also agree that control measures are taking a toll on everyone particularly those who are economically disadvantaged. But until we have a way to reduce the devastation of this virus through treatments or vaccines we have a moral obligation to suppress its spread while enhancing economic educational and medical support for those whose lives are most disrupted by our control measures.The question of whether to as Trump put it earlier this year 'go herd' is not a scientific debate. There is no scientific data showing that a country like the United States can protect those at greatest risk while letting the virus spread uncontrolled. The debate is over how to live while we wait for a vaccine good enough to protect the vulnerable and provide herd immunity.The Great Barrington approach and its champions advocate a strategy that abdicates our responsibility by letting up on control of the virus with no proven means to protect the vulnerable. This will cost lives and if the summer is any indication further damage the economy while pursuing a goal of herd immunity that may prove only temporary even if reached. We must keep up the efforts on both fronts � supporting those at greatest risk while limiting spread of the virus to prevent unnecessary illness and deaths."";""Gregg Gonsalves"";""Yale University"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"664;2020-10-15 12:00:00;69;""Trump wants to try for herd immunity. Without a vaccine it could kill millions."";""Marc Lipsitch Gregg Gonsalves Carlos del Rio Rochelle P. Walensky"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""President Trump has long seemed fascinated with the idea that herd immunity could provide an easy end to the coronavirus pandemic even before his own diagnosis with covid-19 and his blithe declaration after he checked himself out of the hospital that no one should be afraid of getting it. 'With time it goes away' he told an ABC News town hall last month. 'And you'll develop � you'll develop herd � like a herd mentality. It's going to be � it's going to be herd-developed and that's going to happen. That will all happen.' The neuroradiologist he brought in to advise on the pandemic response over the summer Scott Atlas has argued that rising case counts will bring the nation to herd immunity faster.Now the White House has turned this half-baked idea into an official strategy calling it 'focused protection.' In this approach the virus would be allowed to spread among young healthy people with little attempt to slow it down while officials try to keep older more vulnerable Americans from contracting it. In the modern era herd immunity is best achieved by vaccination when enough people acquire immunity to an infection through a shot in the arm to protect the whole community. That's our goal every flu season it's the reason we vaccinate infants against dreaded childhood diseases. But now the official policy of the Trump administration will be to try to speed up the arrival of herd immunity to the novel coronavirus by letting the virus infect people faster. Without a vaccine though this strategy risks the deaths of millions of Americans.Proponents of herd immunity with 'focused protection' generally oppose mask mandates contact tracing and other measures to slow the spread of the virus because they imagine that infection can be confined to the 'low risk' population and want to hasten infection in that group.After falsely promising that the epidemic would go away 'like a miracle' when the weather turned warm the White House has now found support for its new cold- weather line of wishful thinking in the so-called 'Great Barrington Declaration' a document published last week at a ceremony at a libertarian think tank by three scientists whose views diverge sharply from those of most infectious-disease epidemiologists. On Tuesday night a White House official speaking on the condition of anonymity told reporters that the plan 'is endorsing what the president's strategy has been for months.'Supporters of this view are half right: We must indeed do all in our power to protect the vulnerable. More resources are desperately needed to keep nursing homes safe including considerably increased testing capacity and personal protective equipment better sick leave policies for their staff and smarter ways to deploy staff so that those who may already be immune due to prior infection can interact with the highest-risk residents. More broadly this pandemic disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities so 'the most vulnerable' actually include the poor essential workers and those who society already routinely fails to protect.As we and many others work hard to hone strategies to protect all these populations the administration has failed to support and often hampered such efforts to shield those at highest risk. For example Trump forced meatpacking plants to reopen in April without mandatory protections in place these venues were deemed essential but were hot spots for transmission and disproportionately employ Latino and African American workers.Unfortunately no one has so far devised an approach to protecting the vulnerable that really works especially when the infection is raging in society at large. Surely we should do all we can to change that and surely we all want to get back to our pre-covid-19 lives.Yet until we have a proven means to protect those most at risk and put those safeguards in place letting up on control and plunging ahead in pursuit of herd immunity via massive infection rates amounts to unilateral disarmament. Scientists and clinicians in and out of government have been working hard to protect these groups with little or modest success for most of the year while also attempting to minimize the threat that community transmission poses to them and to all of us � a belt-and-suspenders approach. Letting the virus tear out of control in the population at large before we really know how to protect the vulnerable is like ripping off our suspenders before we have the belt on. Just look at Sweden the poster country for the 'age-targeted' approach: Even the architects of that strategy admit they failed their nursing homes.Even if we had more faith that we could protect those at greatest risk though there are still more fundamental reasons to resist the notion of dropping our guard. That strategy rests on the notion that the virus is harmless to most people and risky only for defined groups that we will get to herd immunity sooner or later so we may as well do it sooner and that if we just tell people to go back to normal life the world as we knew it in 2019 will return.These are all false hopes.Covid-19 is unquestionably worse for someone who is male older sicker or lacks access to health care. But it's dangerous for all of us. It is true that compared with older demographics the young and healthy fare well. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 50 percent of Americans live withunderlying conditions that predispose them to serious outcomes from covid-19. So far42000 Americans under 65 have died from the disease � more than four times as many as typically die in that age group from seasonal flu � and we've only had eight months or so of intense covid-19 activity so the numbers will keep growing. If we let the virus spread uncontrolled in the younger population we will indeed build up some herd immunity that will probably reduce further spread � for a while. But coronavirus immunity is notoriously short-lived and partial: Other coronaviruses are called 'seasonal' because like the flu they circulate every year. The result of letting the infection go in the general population will in all likelihood be a persistent problem not a nightmare followed by a blissful awakening. CDC Director Robert Redfield told Congress in late September that over 90 percent of the U.S. population remains susceptible to this coronavirus citing published data. Recently proponents of herd immunity have pointed to the existence of T cell immunity in some of the unexposed population to suggest a far lower share of the public might truly be susceptible but this misunderstands how T cell immunity works and how epidemiological models are fit to data. Whatever T cells are doing to protect us is already 'baked in' to the estimates that we will need half the population or more to be immune before transmission relents.Returning to pre-pandemic levels of activity risks a return to levels of transmission like those we saw in the hardest-hit places in the early spring such as New York New Orleans and Detroit with hospitals overwhelmed and ICU beds in short supply. All the sacrifices of the last months will have been largely wasted delaying but not fundamentally changing the devastation of an unmitigated pandemic. Among other consequences this will mean that the return to 'normalcy' hoped for by herd- immunity proponents will not occur as fear of exposure would keep people home even if there were no rules requiring it. Indeed economists report that states that ended their spring lockdowns early have had the worst not the best economic outcomes resulting from rampant viral spread.'Flatten the curve' was a good idea when the world first heard the concept in March and it still is. Even if we assume herd immunity will come sooner or later through the natural spread of the infection we should prefer to delay it. A flatter curve with more infections delayed means a health-care system better able to cope with the cases it does have. Treatments are getting better and there are indications that more people who would have died of covid-19 earlier in the outbreak are surviving. Further data suggest that only two-thirds of the 225000 excess deaths from March to August were covid-related an overwhelmed health-care system means there is little reserve to care for all the other diseases hospitals were created to treat. And there is every reason to expect medical care for this new disease to be better in three or six months than it is now. Last and most important vaccines are being tested that might just protect us if we can stay uninfected long enough to get our immunity that way.We can find common ground with the proponents of focused protection on the need to find more and better ways to shield the vulnerable until then and to be smart about what restrictions we use to reduce viral spread. We also agree that control measures are taking a toll on everyone particularly those who are economically disadvantaged. But until we have a way to reduce the devastation of this virus through treatments or vaccines we have a moral obligation to suppress its spread while enhancing economic educational and medical support for those whose lives are most disrupted by our control measures.The question of whether to as Trump put it earlier this year 'go herd' is not a scientific debate. There is no scientific data showing that a country like the United States can protect those at greatest risk while letting the virus spread uncontrolled. The debate is over how to live while we wait for a vaccine good enough to protect the vulnerable and provide herd immunity.The Great Barrington approach and its champions advocate a strategy that abdicates our responsibility by letting up on control of the virus with no proven means to protect the vulnerable. This will cost lives and if the summer is any indication further damage the economy while pursuing a goal of herd immunity that may prove only temporary even if reached. We must keep up the efforts on both fronts � supporting those at greatest risk while limiting spread of the virus to prevent unnecessary illness and deaths."";""Gregg Gonsalves"";""Yale University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"665;2020-10-15 12:00:00;69;""Trump wants to try for herd immunity. Without a vaccine it could kill millions."";""Marc Lipsitch Gregg Gonsalves Carlos del Rio Rochelle P. Walensky"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""President Trump has long seemed fascinated with the idea that herd immunity could provide an easy end to the coronavirus pandemic even before his own diagnosis with covid-19 and his blithe declaration after he checked himself out of the hospital that no one should be afraid of getting it. 'With time it goes away' he told an ABC News town hall last month. 'And you'll develop � you'll develop herd � like a herd mentality. It's going to be � it's going to be herd-developed and that's going to happen. That will all happen.' The neuroradiologist he brought in to advise on the pandemic response over the summer Scott Atlas has argued that rising case counts will bring the nation to herd immunity faster.Now the White House has turned this half-baked idea into an official strategy calling it 'focused protection.' In this approach the virus would be allowed to spread among young healthy people with little attempt to slow it down while officials try to keep older more vulnerable Americans from contracting it. In the modern era herd immunity is best achieved by vaccination when enough people acquire immunity to an infection through a shot in the arm to protect the whole community. That's our goal every flu season it's the reason we vaccinate infants against dreaded childhood diseases. But now the official policy of the Trump administration will be to try to speed up the arrival of herd immunity to the novel coronavirus by letting the virus infect people faster. Without a vaccine though this strategy risks the deaths of millions of Americans.Proponents of herd immunity with 'focused protection' generally oppose mask mandates contact tracing and other measures to slow the spread of the virus because they imagine that infection can be confined to the 'low risk' population and want to hasten infection in that group.After falsely promising that the epidemic would go away 'like a miracle' when the weather turned warm the White House has now found support for its new cold- weather line of wishful thinking in the so-called 'Great Barrington Declaration' a document published last week at a ceremony at a libertarian think tank by three scientists whose views diverge sharply from those of most infectious-disease epidemiologists. On Tuesday night a White House official speaking on the condition of anonymity told reporters that the plan 'is endorsing what the president's strategy has been for months.'Supporters of this view are half right: We must indeed do all in our power to protect the vulnerable. More resources are desperately needed to keep nursing homes safe including considerably increased testing capacity and personal protective equipment better sick leave policies for their staff and smarter ways to deploy staff so that those who may already be immune due to prior infection can interact with the highest-risk residents. More broadly this pandemic disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities so 'the most vulnerable' actually include the poor essential workers and those who society already routinely fails to protect.As we and many others work hard to hone strategies to protect all these populations the administration has failed to support and often hampered such efforts to shield those at highest risk. For example Trump forced meatpacking plants to reopen in April without mandatory protections in place these venues were deemed essential but were hot spots for transmission and disproportionately employ Latino and African American workers.Unfortunately no one has so far devised an approach to protecting the vulnerable that really works especially when the infection is raging in society at large. Surely we should do all we can to change that and surely we all want to get back to our pre-covid-19 lives.Yet until we have a proven means to protect those most at risk and put those safeguards in place letting up on control and plunging ahead in pursuit of herd immunity via massive infection rates amounts to unilateral disarmament. Scientists and clinicians in and out of government have been working hard to protect these groups with little or modest success for most of the year while also attempting to minimize the threat that community transmission poses to them and to all of us � a belt-and-suspenders approach. Letting the virus tear out of control in the population at large before we really know how to protect the vulnerable is like ripping off our suspenders before we have the belt on. Just look at Sweden the poster country for the 'age-targeted' approach: Even the architects of that strategy admit they failed their nursing homes.Even if we had more faith that we could protect those at greatest risk though there are still more fundamental reasons to resist the notion of dropping our guard. That strategy rests on the notion that the virus is harmless to most people and risky only for defined groups that we will get to herd immunity sooner or later so we may as well do it sooner and that if we just tell people to go back to normal life the world as we knew it in 2019 will return.These are all false hopes.Covid-19 is unquestionably worse for someone who is male older sicker or lacks access to health care. But it's dangerous for all of us. It is true that compared with older demographics the young and healthy fare well. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 50 percent of Americans live withunderlying conditions that predispose them to serious outcomes from covid-19. So far42000 Americans under 65 have died from the disease � more than four times as many as typically die in that age group from seasonal flu � and we've only had eight months or so of intense covid-19 activity so the numbers will keep growing. If we let the virus spread uncontrolled in the younger population we will indeed build up some herd immunity that will probably reduce further spread � for a while. But coronavirus immunity is notoriously short-lived and partial: Other coronaviruses are called 'seasonal' because like the flu they circulate every year. The result of letting the infection go in the general population will in all likelihood be a persistent problem not a nightmare followed by a blissful awakening. CDC Director Robert Redfield told Congress in late September that over 90 percent of the U.S. population remains susceptible to this coronavirus citing published data. Recently proponents of herd immunity have pointed to the existence of T cell immunity in some of the unexposed population to suggest a far lower share of the public might truly be susceptible but this misunderstands how T cell immunity works and how epidemiological models are fit to data. Whatever T cells are doing to protect us is already 'baked in' to the estimates that we will need half the population or more to be immune before transmission relents.Returning to pre-pandemic levels of activity risks a return to levels of transmission like those we saw in the hardest-hit places in the early spring such as New York New Orleans and Detroit with hospitals overwhelmed and ICU beds in short supply. All the sacrifices of the last months will have been largely wasted delaying but not fundamentally changing the devastation of an unmitigated pandemic. Among other consequences this will mean that the return to 'normalcy' hoped for by herd- immunity proponents will not occur as fear of exposure would keep people home even if there were no rules requiring it. Indeed economists report that states that ended their spring lockdowns early have had the worst not the best economic outcomes resulting from rampant viral spread.'Flatten the curve' was a good idea when the world first heard the concept in March and it still is. Even if we assume herd immunity will come sooner or later through the natural spread of the infection we should prefer to delay it. A flatter curve with more infections delayed means a health-care system better able to cope with the cases it does have. Treatments are getting better and there are indications that more people who would have died of covid-19 earlier in the outbreak are surviving. Further data suggest that only two-thirds of the 225000 excess deaths from March to August were covid-related an overwhelmed health-care system means there is little reserve to care for all the other diseases hospitals were created to treat. And there is every reason to expect medical care for this new disease to be better in three or six months than it is now. Last and most important vaccines are being tested that might just protect us if we can stay uninfected long enough to get our immunity that way.We can find common ground with the proponents of focused protection on the need to find more and better ways to shield the vulnerable until then and to be smart about what restrictions we use to reduce viral spread. We also agree that control measures are taking a toll on everyone particularly those who are economically disadvantaged. But until we have a way to reduce the devastation of this virus through treatments or vaccines we have a moral obligation to suppress its spread while enhancing economic educational and medical support for those whose lives are most disrupted by our control measures.The question of whether to as Trump put it earlier this year 'go herd' is not a scientific debate. There is no scientific data showing that a country like the United States can protect those at greatest risk while letting the virus spread uncontrolled. The debate is over how to live while we wait for a vaccine good enough to protect the vulnerable and provide herd immunity.The Great Barrington approach and its champions advocate a strategy that abdicates our responsibility by letting up on control of the virus with no proven means to protect the vulnerable. This will cost lives and if the summer is any indication further damage the economy while pursuing a goal of herd immunity that may prove only temporary even if reached. We must keep up the efforts on both fronts � supporting those at greatest risk while limiting spread of the virus to prevent unnecessary illness and deaths."";""Carlos del Rio"";""Emory University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"666;2020-10-15 12:00:00;69;""Trump wants to try for herd immunity. Without a vaccine it could kill millions."";""Marc Lipsitch Gregg Gonsalves Carlos del Rio Rochelle P. Walensky"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""President Trump has long seemed fascinated with the idea that herd immunity could provide an easy end to the coronavirus pandemic even before his own diagnosis with covid-19 and his blithe declaration after he checked himself out of the hospital that no one should be afraid of getting it. 'With time it goes away' he told an ABC News town hall last month. 'And you'll develop � you'll develop herd � like a herd mentality. It's going to be � it's going to be herd-developed and that's going to happen. That will all happen.' The neuroradiologist he brought in to advise on the pandemic response over the summer Scott Atlas has argued that rising case counts will bring the nation to herd immunity faster.Now the White House has turned this half-baked idea into an official strategy calling it 'focused protection.' In this approach the virus would be allowed to spread among young healthy people with little attempt to slow it down while officials try to keep older more vulnerable Americans from contracting it. In the modern era herd immunity is best achieved by vaccination when enough people acquire immunity to an infection through a shot in the arm to protect the whole community. That's our goal every flu season it's the reason we vaccinate infants against dreaded childhood diseases. But now the official policy of the Trump administration will be to try to speed up the arrival of herd immunity to the novel coronavirus by letting the virus infect people faster. Without a vaccine though this strategy risks the deaths of millions of Americans.Proponents of herd immunity with 'focused protection' generally oppose mask mandates contact tracing and other measures to slow the spread of the virus because they imagine that infection can be confined to the 'low risk' population and want to hasten infection in that group.After falsely promising that the epidemic would go away 'like a miracle' when the weather turned warm the White House has now found support for its new cold- weather line of wishful thinking in the so-called 'Great Barrington Declaration' a document published last week at a ceremony at a libertarian think tank by three scientists whose views diverge sharply from those of most infectious-disease epidemiologists. On Tuesday night a White House official speaking on the condition of anonymity told reporters that the plan 'is endorsing what the president's strategy has been for months.'Supporters of this view are half right: We must indeed do all in our power to protect the vulnerable. More resources are desperately needed to keep nursing homes safe including considerably increased testing capacity and personal protective equipment better sick leave policies for their staff and smarter ways to deploy staff so that those who may already be immune due to prior infection can interact with the highest-risk residents. More broadly this pandemic disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities so 'the most vulnerable' actually include the poor essential workers and those who society already routinely fails to protect.As we and many others work hard to hone strategies to protect all these populations the administration has failed to support and often hampered such efforts to shield those at highest risk. For example Trump forced meatpacking plants to reopen in April without mandatory protections in place these venues were deemed essential but were hot spots for transmission and disproportionately employ Latino and African American workers.Unfortunately no one has so far devised an approach to protecting the vulnerable that really works especially when the infection is raging in society at large. Surely we should do all we can to change that and surely we all want to get back to our pre-covid-19 lives.Yet until we have a proven means to protect those most at risk and put those safeguards in place letting up on control and plunging ahead in pursuit of herd immunity via massive infection rates amounts to unilateral disarmament. Scientists and clinicians in and out of government have been working hard to protect these groups with little or modest success for most of the year while also attempting to minimize the threat that community transmission poses to them and to all of us � a belt-and-suspenders approach. Letting the virus tear out of control in the population at large before we really know how to protect the vulnerable is like ripping off our suspenders before we have the belt on. Just look at Sweden the poster country for the 'age-targeted' approach: Even the architects of that strategy admit they failed their nursing homes.Even if we had more faith that we could protect those at greatest risk though there are still more fundamental reasons to resist the notion of dropping our guard. That strategy rests on the notion that the virus is harmless to most people and risky only for defined groups that we will get to herd immunity sooner or later so we may as well do it sooner and that if we just tell people to go back to normal life the world as we knew it in 2019 will return.These are all false hopes.Covid-19 is unquestionably worse for someone who is male older sicker or lacks access to health care. But it's dangerous for all of us. It is true that compared with older demographics the young and healthy fare well. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 50 percent of Americans live withunderlying conditions that predispose them to serious outcomes from covid-19. So far42000 Americans under 65 have died from the disease � more than four times as many as typically die in that age group from seasonal flu � and we've only had eight months or so of intense covid-19 activity so the numbers will keep growing. If we let the virus spread uncontrolled in the younger population we will indeed build up some herd immunity that will probably reduce further spread � for a while. But coronavirus immunity is notoriously short-lived and partial: Other coronaviruses are called 'seasonal' because like the flu they circulate every year. The result of letting the infection go in the general population will in all likelihood be a persistent problem not a nightmare followed by a blissful awakening. CDC Director Robert Redfield told Congress in late September that over 90 percent of the U.S. population remains susceptible to this coronavirus citing published data. Recently proponents of herd immunity have pointed to the existence of T cell immunity in some of the unexposed population to suggest a far lower share of the public might truly be susceptible but this misunderstands how T cell immunity works and how epidemiological models are fit to data. Whatever T cells are doing to protect us is already 'baked in' to the estimates that we will need half the population or more to be immune before transmission relents.Returning to pre-pandemic levels of activity risks a return to levels of transmission like those we saw in the hardest-hit places in the early spring such as New York New Orleans and Detroit with hospitals overwhelmed and ICU beds in short supply. All the sacrifices of the last months will have been largely wasted delaying but not fundamentally changing the devastation of an unmitigated pandemic. Among other consequences this will mean that the return to 'normalcy' hoped for by herd- immunity proponents will not occur as fear of exposure would keep people home even if there were no rules requiring it. Indeed economists report that states that ended their spring lockdowns early have had the worst not the best economic outcomes resulting from rampant viral spread.'Flatten the curve' was a good idea when the world first heard the concept in March and it still is. Even if we assume herd immunity will come sooner or later through the natural spread of the infection we should prefer to delay it. A flatter curve with more infections delayed means a health-care system better able to cope with the cases it does have. Treatments are getting better and there are indications that more people who would have died of covid-19 earlier in the outbreak are surviving. Further data suggest that only two-thirds of the 225000 excess deaths from March to August were covid-related an overwhelmed health-care system means there is little reserve to care for all the other diseases hospitals were created to treat. And there is every reason to expect medical care for this new disease to be better in three or six months than it is now. Last and most important vaccines are being tested that might just protect us if we can stay uninfected long enough to get our immunity that way.We can find common ground with the proponents of focused protection on the need to find more and better ways to shield the vulnerable until then and to be smart about what restrictions we use to reduce viral spread. We also agree that control measures are taking a toll on everyone particularly those who are economically disadvantaged. But until we have a way to reduce the devastation of this virus through treatments or vaccines we have a moral obligation to suppress its spread while enhancing economic educational and medical support for those whose lives are most disrupted by our control measures.The question of whether to as Trump put it earlier this year 'go herd' is not a scientific debate. There is no scientific data showing that a country like the United States can protect those at greatest risk while letting the virus spread uncontrolled. The debate is over how to live while we wait for a vaccine good enough to protect the vulnerable and provide herd immunity.The Great Barrington approach and its champions advocate a strategy that abdicates our responsibility by letting up on control of the virus with no proven means to protect the vulnerable. This will cost lives and if the summer is any indication further damage the economy while pursuing a goal of herd immunity that may prove only temporary even if reached. We must keep up the efforts on both fronts � supporting those at greatest risk while limiting spread of the virus to prevent unnecessary illness and deaths."";""Carlos del Rio"";""Emory University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"667;2020-10-15 12:00:00;69;""Trump wants to try for herd immunity. Without a vaccine it could kill millions."";""Marc Lipsitch Gregg Gonsalves Carlos del Rio Rochelle P. Walensky"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""President Trump has long seemed fascinated with the idea that herd immunity could provide an easy end to the coronavirus pandemic even before his own diagnosis with covid-19 and his blithe declaration after he checked himself out of the hospital that no one should be afraid of getting it. 'With time it goes away' he told an ABC News town hall last month. 'And you'll develop � you'll develop herd � like a herd mentality. It's going to be � it's going to be herd-developed and that's going to happen. That will all happen.' The neuroradiologist he brought in to advise on the pandemic response over the summer Scott Atlas has argued that rising case counts will bring the nation to herd immunity faster.Now the White House has turned this half-baked idea into an official strategy calling it 'focused protection.' In this approach the virus would be allowed to spread among young healthy people with little attempt to slow it down while officials try to keep older more vulnerable Americans from contracting it. In the modern era herd immunity is best achieved by vaccination when enough people acquire immunity to an infection through a shot in the arm to protect the whole community. That's our goal every flu season it's the reason we vaccinate infants against dreaded childhood diseases. But now the official policy of the Trump administration will be to try to speed up the arrival of herd immunity to the novel coronavirus by letting the virus infect people faster. Without a vaccine though this strategy risks the deaths of millions of Americans.Proponents of herd immunity with 'focused protection' generally oppose mask mandates contact tracing and other measures to slow the spread of the virus because they imagine that infection can be confined to the 'low risk' population and want to hasten infection in that group.After falsely promising that the epidemic would go away 'like a miracle' when the weather turned warm the White House has now found support for its new cold- weather line of wishful thinking in the so-called 'Great Barrington Declaration' a document published last week at a ceremony at a libertarian think tank by three scientists whose views diverge sharply from those of most infectious-disease epidemiologists. On Tuesday night a White House official speaking on the condition of anonymity told reporters that the plan 'is endorsing what the president's strategy has been for months.'Supporters of this view are half right: We must indeed do all in our power to protect the vulnerable. More resources are desperately needed to keep nursing homes safe including considerably increased testing capacity and personal protective equipment better sick leave policies for their staff and smarter ways to deploy staff so that those who may already be immune due to prior infection can interact with the highest-risk residents. More broadly this pandemic disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities so 'the most vulnerable' actually include the poor essential workers and those who society already routinely fails to protect.As we and many others work hard to hone strategies to protect all these populations the administration has failed to support and often hampered such efforts to shield those at highest risk. For example Trump forced meatpacking plants to reopen in April without mandatory protections in place these venues were deemed essential but were hot spots for transmission and disproportionately employ Latino and African American workers.Unfortunately no one has so far devised an approach to protecting the vulnerable that really works especially when the infection is raging in society at large. Surely we should do all we can to change that and surely we all want to get back to our pre-covid-19 lives.Yet until we have a proven means to protect those most at risk and put those safeguards in place letting up on control and plunging ahead in pursuit of herd immunity via massive infection rates amounts to unilateral disarmament. Scientists and clinicians in and out of government have been working hard to protect these groups with little or modest success for most of the year while also attempting to minimize the threat that community transmission poses to them and to all of us � a belt-and-suspenders approach. Letting the virus tear out of control in the population at large before we really know how to protect the vulnerable is like ripping off our suspenders before we have the belt on. Just look at Sweden the poster country for the 'age-targeted' approach: Even the architects of that strategy admit they failed their nursing homes.Even if we had more faith that we could protect those at greatest risk though there are still more fundamental reasons to resist the notion of dropping our guard. That strategy rests on the notion that the virus is harmless to most people and risky only for defined groups that we will get to herd immunity sooner or later so we may as well do it sooner and that if we just tell people to go back to normal life the world as we knew it in 2019 will return.These are all false hopes.Covid-19 is unquestionably worse for someone who is male older sicker or lacks access to health care. But it's dangerous for all of us. It is true that compared with older demographics the young and healthy fare well. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 50 percent of Americans live withunderlying conditions that predispose them to serious outcomes from covid-19. So far42000 Americans under 65 have died from the disease � more than four times as many as typically die in that age group from seasonal flu � and we've only had eight months or so of intense covid-19 activity so the numbers will keep growing. If we let the virus spread uncontrolled in the younger population we will indeed build up some herd immunity that will probably reduce further spread � for a while. But coronavirus immunity is notoriously short-lived and partial: Other coronaviruses are called 'seasonal' because like the flu they circulate every year. The result of letting the infection go in the general population will in all likelihood be a persistent problem not a nightmare followed by a blissful awakening. CDC Director Robert Redfield told Congress in late September that over 90 percent of the U.S. population remains susceptible to this coronavirus citing published data. Recently proponents of herd immunity have pointed to the existence of T cell immunity in some of the unexposed population to suggest a far lower share of the public might truly be susceptible but this misunderstands how T cell immunity works and how epidemiological models are fit to data. Whatever T cells are doing to protect us is already 'baked in' to the estimates that we will need half the population or more to be immune before transmission relents.Returning to pre-pandemic levels of activity risks a return to levels of transmission like those we saw in the hardest-hit places in the early spring such as New York New Orleans and Detroit with hospitals overwhelmed and ICU beds in short supply. All the sacrifices of the last months will have been largely wasted delaying but not fundamentally changing the devastation of an unmitigated pandemic. Among other consequences this will mean that the return to 'normalcy' hoped for by herd- immunity proponents will not occur as fear of exposure would keep people home even if there were no rules requiring it. Indeed economists report that states that ended their spring lockdowns early have had the worst not the best economic outcomes resulting from rampant viral spread.'Flatten the curve' was a good idea when the world first heard the concept in March and it still is. Even if we assume herd immunity will come sooner or later through the natural spread of the infection we should prefer to delay it. A flatter curve with more infections delayed means a health-care system better able to cope with the cases it does have. Treatments are getting better and there are indications that more people who would have died of covid-19 earlier in the outbreak are surviving. Further data suggest that only two-thirds of the 225000 excess deaths from March to August were covid-related an overwhelmed health-care system means there is little reserve to care for all the other diseases hospitals were created to treat. And there is every reason to expect medical care for this new disease to be better in three or six months than it is now. Last and most important vaccines are being tested that might just protect us if we can stay uninfected long enough to get our immunity that way.We can find common ground with the proponents of focused protection on the need to find more and better ways to shield the vulnerable until then and to be smart about what restrictions we use to reduce viral spread. We also agree that control measures are taking a toll on everyone particularly those who are economically disadvantaged. But until we have a way to reduce the devastation of this virus through treatments or vaccines we have a moral obligation to suppress its spread while enhancing economic educational and medical support for those whose lives are most disrupted by our control measures.The question of whether to as Trump put it earlier this year 'go herd' is not a scientific debate. There is no scientific data showing that a country like the United States can protect those at greatest risk while letting the virus spread uncontrolled. The debate is over how to live while we wait for a vaccine good enough to protect the vulnerable and provide herd immunity.The Great Barrington approach and its champions advocate a strategy that abdicates our responsibility by letting up on control of the virus with no proven means to protect the vulnerable. This will cost lives and if the summer is any indication further damage the economy while pursuing a goal of herd immunity that may prove only temporary even if reached. We must keep up the efforts on both fronts � supporting those at greatest risk while limiting spread of the virus to prevent unnecessary illness and deaths."";""Carlos del Rio"";""Emory University"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"668;2020-10-15 12:00:00;69;""Trump wants to try for herd immunity. Without a vaccine it could kill millions."";""Marc Lipsitch Gregg Gonsalves Carlos del Rio Rochelle P. Walensky"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""President Trump has long seemed fascinated with the idea that herd immunity could provide an easy end to the coronavirus pandemic even before his own diagnosis with covid-19 and his blithe declaration after he checked himself out of the hospital that no one should be afraid of getting it. 'With time it goes away' he told an ABC News town hall last month. 'And you'll develop � you'll develop herd � like a herd mentality. It's going to be � it's going to be herd-developed and that's going to happen. That will all happen.' The neuroradiologist he brought in to advise on the pandemic response over the summer Scott Atlas has argued that rising case counts will bring the nation to herd immunity faster.Now the White House has turned this half-baked idea into an official strategy calling it 'focused protection.' In this approach the virus would be allowed to spread among young healthy people with little attempt to slow it down while officials try to keep older more vulnerable Americans from contracting it. In the modern era herd immunity is best achieved by vaccination when enough people acquire immunity to an infection through a shot in the arm to protect the whole community. That's our goal every flu season it's the reason we vaccinate infants against dreaded childhood diseases. But now the official policy of the Trump administration will be to try to speed up the arrival of herd immunity to the novel coronavirus by letting the virus infect people faster. Without a vaccine though this strategy risks the deaths of millions of Americans.Proponents of herd immunity with 'focused protection' generally oppose mask mandates contact tracing and other measures to slow the spread of the virus because they imagine that infection can be confined to the 'low risk' population and want to hasten infection in that group.After falsely promising that the epidemic would go away 'like a miracle' when the weather turned warm the White House has now found support for its new cold- weather line of wishful thinking in the so-called 'Great Barrington Declaration' a document published last week at a ceremony at a libertarian think tank by three scientists whose views diverge sharply from those of most infectious-disease epidemiologists. On Tuesday night a White House official speaking on the condition of anonymity told reporters that the plan 'is endorsing what the president's strategy has been for months.'Supporters of this view are half right: We must indeed do all in our power to protect the vulnerable. More resources are desperately needed to keep nursing homes safe including considerably increased testing capacity and personal protective equipment better sick leave policies for their staff and smarter ways to deploy staff so that those who may already be immune due to prior infection can interact with the highest-risk residents. More broadly this pandemic disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities so 'the most vulnerable' actually include the poor essential workers and those who society already routinely fails to protect.As we and many others work hard to hone strategies to protect all these populations the administration has failed to support and often hampered such efforts to shield those at highest risk. For example Trump forced meatpacking plants to reopen in April without mandatory protections in place these venues were deemed essential but were hot spots for transmission and disproportionately employ Latino and African American workers.Unfortunately no one has so far devised an approach to protecting the vulnerable that really works especially when the infection is raging in society at large. Surely we should do all we can to change that and surely we all want to get back to our pre-covid-19 lives.Yet until we have a proven means to protect those most at risk and put those safeguards in place letting up on control and plunging ahead in pursuit of herd immunity via massive infection rates amounts to unilateral disarmament. Scientists and clinicians in and out of government have been working hard to protect these groups with little or modest success for most of the year while also attempting to minimize the threat that community transmission poses to them and to all of us � a belt-and-suspenders approach. Letting the virus tear out of control in the population at large before we really know how to protect the vulnerable is like ripping off our suspenders before we have the belt on. Just look at Sweden the poster country for the 'age-targeted' approach: Even the architects of that strategy admit they failed their nursing homes.Even if we had more faith that we could protect those at greatest risk though there are still more fundamental reasons to resist the notion of dropping our guard. That strategy rests on the notion that the virus is harmless to most people and risky only for defined groups that we will get to herd immunity sooner or later so we may as well do it sooner and that if we just tell people to go back to normal life the world as we knew it in 2019 will return.These are all false hopes.Covid-19 is unquestionably worse for someone who is male older sicker or lacks access to health care. But it's dangerous for all of us. It is true that compared with older demographics the young and healthy fare well. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 50 percent of Americans live withunderlying conditions that predispose them to serious outcomes from covid-19. So far42000 Americans under 65 have died from the disease � more than four times as many as typically die in that age group from seasonal flu � and we've only had eight months or so of intense covid-19 activity so the numbers will keep growing. If we let the virus spread uncontrolled in the younger population we will indeed build up some herd immunity that will probably reduce further spread � for a while. But coronavirus immunity is notoriously short-lived and partial: Other coronaviruses are called 'seasonal' because like the flu they circulate every year. The result of letting the infection go in the general population will in all likelihood be a persistent problem not a nightmare followed by a blissful awakening. CDC Director Robert Redfield told Congress in late September that over 90 percent of the U.S. population remains susceptible to this coronavirus citing published data. Recently proponents of herd immunity have pointed to the existence of T cell immunity in some of the unexposed population to suggest a far lower share of the public might truly be susceptible but this misunderstands how T cell immunity works and how epidemiological models are fit to data. Whatever T cells are doing to protect us is already 'baked in' to the estimates that we will need half the population or more to be immune before transmission relents.Returning to pre-pandemic levels of activity risks a return to levels of transmission like those we saw in the hardest-hit places in the early spring such as New York New Orleans and Detroit with hospitals overwhelmed and ICU beds in short supply. All the sacrifices of the last months will have been largely wasted delaying but not fundamentally changing the devastation of an unmitigated pandemic. Among other consequences this will mean that the return to 'normalcy' hoped for by herd- immunity proponents will not occur as fear of exposure would keep people home even if there were no rules requiring it. Indeed economists report that states that ended their spring lockdowns early have had the worst not the best economic outcomes resulting from rampant viral spread.'Flatten the curve' was a good idea when the world first heard the concept in March and it still is. Even if we assume herd immunity will come sooner or later through the natural spread of the infection we should prefer to delay it. A flatter curve with more infections delayed means a health-care system better able to cope with the cases it does have. Treatments are getting better and there are indications that more people who would have died of covid-19 earlier in the outbreak are surviving. Further data suggest that only two-thirds of the 225000 excess deaths from March to August were covid-related an overwhelmed health-care system means there is little reserve to care for all the other diseases hospitals were created to treat. And there is every reason to expect medical care for this new disease to be better in three or six months than it is now. Last and most important vaccines are being tested that might just protect us if we can stay uninfected long enough to get our immunity that way.We can find common ground with the proponents of focused protection on the need to find more and better ways to shield the vulnerable until then and to be smart about what restrictions we use to reduce viral spread. We also agree that control measures are taking a toll on everyone particularly those who are economically disadvantaged. But until we have a way to reduce the devastation of this virus through treatments or vaccines we have a moral obligation to suppress its spread while enhancing economic educational and medical support for those whose lives are most disrupted by our control measures.The question of whether to as Trump put it earlier this year 'go herd' is not a scientific debate. There is no scientific data showing that a country like the United States can protect those at greatest risk while letting the virus spread uncontrolled. The debate is over how to live while we wait for a vaccine good enough to protect the vulnerable and provide herd immunity.The Great Barrington approach and its champions advocate a strategy that abdicates our responsibility by letting up on control of the virus with no proven means to protect the vulnerable. This will cost lives and if the summer is any indication further damage the economy while pursuing a goal of herd immunity that may prove only temporary even if reached. We must keep up the efforts on both fronts � supporting those at greatest risk while limiting spread of the virus to prevent unnecessary illness and deaths."";""Carlos del Rio"";""Emory University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"235;2020-10-15 12:00:00;69;""Trump wants to try for herd immunity. Without a vaccine it could kill millions."";""Marc Lipsitch Gregg Gonsalves Carlos del Rio Rochelle P. Walensky"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'With time it goes away' he told an ABC News town hall last month. 'And you'll develop � you'll develop herd � like a herd mentality. It's going to be � it's going to be herd-developed and that's going to happen. That will all happen.'"";""Donald Trump"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"421;2020-10-15 12:00:00;70;""WH reportedly pushing for herd immunity"";""Joshua Bote Jessica Flores Doyle Rice Mike Stucka Molly Beck"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""he Great Barrington Declaration which calls for schools and universities to reopen 'young low-risk adults' to work normally and restaurants to reopen"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"236;2020-10-15 12:00:00;70;""WH reportedly pushing for herd immunity"";""Joshua Bote Jessica Flores Doyle Rice Mike Stucka Molly Beck"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'Herd immunity is achieved by protecting people from a virus not by exposing them to it' WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said Monday before the report dropped."";""Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus"";""World Health Organization"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"237;2020-10-15 12:00:00;71;""Researchers'' letter rejects strategy of herd immunity"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""Several Boston-area researchers are among the authors of an open letter published Wednesday in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet that criticizes the idea of herd immunity as a strategy to confront the coronavirus calling it a dangerous fallacy unsupported by the scientific evidence.'"";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"422;2020-10-15 12:00:00;71;""Researchers'' letter rejects strategy of herd immunity"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""The evidence is very clear: controlling community spread of COVID-19 is the best way to protect our societies and economies until safe and effective vaccines and therapeutics arrive within the coming months. We cannot afford distractions that undermine an effective response it is essential that we act urgently based on the evidence.'"";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"423;2020-10-15 12:00:00;71;""Researchers'' letter rejects strategy of herd immunity"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""The evidence is very clear: controlling community spread of COVID-19 is the best way to protect our societies and economies until safe and effective vaccines and therapeutics arrive within the coming months. We cannot afford distractions that undermine an effective response it is essential that we act urgently based on the evidence.'"";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"238;2020-10-15 12:00:00;71;""Researchers'' letter rejects strategy of herd immunity"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""Never in the history of public health has herd immunity been used as a strategy for responding to an outbreak' the head of the World Health Organization TedrosAdhanom Ghebreyesus said this week. Allowing a dangerous virus that we don't fully understand to run free is simply unethical.'"";""Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus"";""World Health Organization"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"239;2020-10-15 12:00:00;71;""Researchers'' letter rejects strategy of herd immunity"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""The American Public Health Association and 13 other public health groups issued a statement Wednesday saying that following the Great Barrington Declarationwould haphazardly and unnecessarily' sacrifice lives. The statement called the strategy a political statement that preys on a frustrated populace ... selling false hope that will predictably backfire.'"";"""";""American Public Health Association"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"240;2020-10-15 12:00:00;71;""Researchers'' letter rejects strategy of herd immunity"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""The American Public Health Association and 13 other public health groups issued a statement Wednesday saying that following the Great Barrington Declarationwould haphazardly and unnecessarily' sacrifice lives. The statement called the strategy a political statement that preys on a frustrated populace ... selling false hope that will predictably backfire.'"";"""";""American Public Health Association"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"424;2020-10-15 12:00:00;71;""Researchers'' letter rejects strategy of herd immunity"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""The American Public Health Association and 13 other public health groups issued a statement Wednesday saying that following the Great Barrington Declarationwould haphazardly and unnecessarily' sacrifice lives. The statement called the strategy a political statement that preys on a frustrated populace ... selling false hope that will predictably backfire.'"";"""";""American Public Health Association"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"241;2020-10-15 12:00:00;71;""Researchers'' letter rejects strategy of herd immunity"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""The strategy is 'a fringe component of epidemiology. This is not mainstream science. It's dangerous. It fits into the political views of certain parts of our confused political establishment' National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins told The Washington Post. I'm sure it will be an idea that someone can wrap themselves in as a justification for skipping wearing masks or social distancing and just doing whatever they damn well please.'"";""Francis Collins"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"242;2020-10-15 12:00:00;71;""Researchers'' letter rejects strategy of herd immunity"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""William Haseltine a former Harvard Medical School professor and founder of the university's cancer and HIV/AIDS research departments told CNN:Herd immunity is another word for mass murder. If you allow this virus to spread ...we are looking at 2 to 6 million Americans dead. Not just this year but every year.'"";""William Haseltine"";"""";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"243;2020-10-15 12:00:00;71;""Researchers'' letter rejects strategy of herd immunity"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""William Haseltine a former Harvard Medical School professor and founder of the university's cancer and HIV/AIDS research departments told CNN:Herd immunity is another word for mass murder. If you allow this virus to spread ...we are looking at 2 to 6 million Americans dead. Not just this year but every year.'"";""William Haseltine"";"""";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"245;2020-10-15 12:00:00;72;""Herd immunity proposal appalls top scientists gets hearing in White House"";""Joel Achenbach"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""A senior administration official told reporters in a background briefing call Monday that the proposed strategy - which has been denounced by other infectious- disease experts and called 'fringe' and 'dangerous' by National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins - supports what has been Trump's policy for months."";""Francis Collins"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"246;2020-10-15 12:00:00;72;""Herd immunity proposal appalls top scientists gets hearing in White House"";""Joel Achenbach"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk' the declaration states."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"426;2020-10-15 12:00:00;72;""Herd immunity proposal appalls top scientists gets hearing in White House"";""Joel Achenbach"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk' the declaration states."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"427;2020-10-15 12:00:00;72;""Herd immunity proposal appalls top scientists gets hearing in White House"";""Joel Achenbach"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk' the declaration states."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"247;2020-10-15 12:00:00;72;""Herd immunity proposal appalls top scientists gets hearing in White House"";""Joel Achenbach"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'This is a fringe component of epidemiology. This is not mainstream science. It's dangerous. It fits into the political views of certain parts of our confused political establishment' he said. 'I'm sure it will be an idea that someone can wrap themselves in as a justification for skipping wearing masks or social distancing and just doing whatever they damn well please.'Critics of Focused Protection say the idea is impractical unethical and potentially deadly. There is no way they say to segregate society neatly by levels of vulnerability. Many vulnerable people live in multigenerational households. And although it is true that younger people are unlikely to die of covid-19 they can still become sick potentially with chronic lung damage or other long-duration symptoms known as 'long covid.'"";""Francis Collins"";""National Institute of Health"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"248;2020-10-15 12:00:00;72;""Herd immunity proposal appalls top scientists gets hearing in White House"";""Joel Achenbach"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'This is a fringe component of epidemiology. This is not mainstream science. It's dangerous. It fits into the political views of certain parts of our confused political establishment' he said. 'I'm sure it will be an idea that someone can wrap themselves in as a justification for skipping wearing masks or social distancing and just doing whatever they damn well please.'Critics of Focused Protection say the idea is impractical unethical and potentially deadly. There is no way they say to segregate society neatly by levels of vulnerability. Many vulnerable people live in multigenerational households. And although it is true that younger people are unlikely to die of covid-19 they can still become sick potentially with chronic lung damage or other long-duration symptoms known as 'long covid.'"";""Francis Collins"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"249;2020-10-15 12:00:00;72;""Herd immunity proposal appalls top scientists gets hearing in White House"";""Joel Achenbach"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'Is the solution then that we hide away the old people until society can safely resume for them? The solution is not very appealing to the elderly' she said."";""Natalie Dean"";""University of Florida"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"429;2020-10-15 12:00:00;72;""Herd immunity proposal appalls top scientists gets hearing in White House"";""Joel Achenbach"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'Is the solution then that we hide away the old people until society can safely resume for them? The solution is not very appealing to the elderly' she said."";""Natalie Dean"";""University of Florida"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"250;2020-10-15 12:00:00;72;""Herd immunity proposal appalls top scientists gets hearing in White House"";""Joel Achenbach"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""William Hanage an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health raised the question of how younger people who are sick would be keptseparate from older patients: 'What do you do for the sort of younger populations who need health care themselves? Are you going to have separate hospitals for young people and older people?'"";""William Hanage"";""Harvard University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"428;2020-10-15 12:00:00;72;""Herd immunity proposal appalls top scientists gets hearing in White House"";""Joel Achenbach"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""William Hanage an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health raised the question of how younger people who are sick would be keptseparate from older patients: 'What do you do for the sort of younger populations who need health care themselves? Are you going to have separate hospitals for young people and older people?'"";""William Hanage"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"251;2020-10-15 12:00:00;72;""Herd immunity proposal appalls top scientists gets hearing in White House"";""Joel Achenbach"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""Gregg Gonsalves an epidemiologist at the Yale School of Public Health posted a Twitter thread Monday excoriating the Focused Protection strategy as a recipe for 'carnage' writing 'Walking with these pied pipers into the arms of [the virus] because you think you're not at risk or your elders are taken care of is not a plan. It's a massacre.'"";""Gregg Gonsalves"";""Yale University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"252;2020-10-15 12:00:00;72;""Herd immunity proposal appalls top scientists gets hearing in White House"";""Joel Achenbach"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""Gregg Gonsalves an epidemiologist at the Yale School of Public Health posted a Twitter thread Monday excoriating the Focused Protection strategy as a recipe for 'carnage' writing 'Walking with these pied pipers into the arms of [the virus] because you think you're not at risk or your elders are taken care of is not a plan. It's a massacre.'"";""Gregg Gonsalves"";""Yale University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"253;2020-10-15 12:00:00;72;""Herd immunity proposal appalls top scientists gets hearing in White House"";""Joel Achenbach"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""Gregg Gonsalves an epidemiologist at the Yale School of Public Health posted a Twitter thread Monday excoriating the Focused Protection strategy as a recipe for 'carnage' writing 'Walking with these pied pipers into the arms of [the virus] because you think you're not at risk or your elders are taken care of is not a plan. It's a massacre.'"";""Gregg Gonsalves"";""Yale University"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"205;2020-10-16 12:00:00;62;""A top White House coronavirus adviser has resisted widespread testing pushing for a form of herd immunity instead."";""Jim Tankersley Noah Weiland Emily Cochrane Katherine J. Wu"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Dr. Atlas went on to reference a theory that the virus can be arrested once a small percentage of the United States population contracts it. He said there was a likelihood that only 25 or 20 percent of people need the infection�"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"206;2020-10-16 12:00:00;63;""The notion that we can ''''resume life as normal'''' right now is misguided and dangerous"";""Unspecified"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""The authors call for protecting the 'vulnerable' but for most others � especially the young � recommend 'resume life as normal.' Open schools universities restaurants and other businesses hold arts sports and cultural activities and follow 'simple hygiene measures.' The spreading infection will eventually reach 'herd immunity' a tipping point when enough people gain natural immunity that the virus will not circulate."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"207;2020-10-16 12:00:00;63;""The notion that we can ''''resume life as normal'''' right now is misguided and dangerous"";""Unspecified"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""The authors call for protecting the 'vulnerable' but for most others � especially the young � recommend 'resume life as normal.' Open schools universities restaurants and other businesses hold arts sports and cultural activities and follow 'simple hygiene measures.' The spreading infection will eventually reach 'herd immunity' a tipping point when enough people gain natural immunity that the virus will not circulate."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"208;2020-10-16 12:00:00;63;""The notion that we can ''''resume life as normal'''' right now is misguided and dangerous"";""Unspecified"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""This is a terribly misguided and dangerous notion. It would lead to a new wave of illness and deaths."";"""";""The Washington Post"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"209;2020-10-16 12:00:00;63;""The notion that we can ''''resume life as normal'''' right now is misguided and dangerous"";""Unspecified"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""This is a terribly misguided and dangerous notion. It would lead to a new wave of illness and deaths."";"""";""The Washington Post"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"210;2020-10-16 12:00:00;63;""The notion that we can ''''resume life as normal'''' right now is misguided and dangerous"";""Unspecified"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""How many more waves how many more overwhelmed hospitals � like those in Wisconsin � would the authors wish us to endure before reaching natural 'herd immunity'? They don't say."";"""";""The Washington Post"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"211;2020-10-16 12:00:00;64;""Scientists: Herd immunity strategy against COVID-19 will kill not help"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The idea that the public can infect its way out of the COVID-19 pandemic is 'a dangerous fallacy unsupported by the scientific evidence' 80 researchers said Wednesday in a letter published in the Lancet."";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"212;2020-10-16 12:00:00;64;""Scientists: Herd immunity strategy against COVID-19 will kill not help"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The declaration came out of a meeting hosted by the libertarian-leaning American Institute for Economic Research. Its website says it has more than 9000 signatures though most names are not public. 'The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk' the declaration says."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"213;2020-10-16 12:00:00;64;""Scientists: Herd immunity strategy against COVID-19 will kill not help"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The declaration came out of a meeting hosted by the libertarian-leaning American Institute for Economic Research. Its website says it has more than 9000 signatures though most names are not public. 'The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk' the declaration says."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"214;2020-10-16 12:00:00;64;""Scientists: Herd immunity strategy against COVID-19 will kill not help"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The declaration came out of a meeting hosted by the libertarian-leaning American Institute for Economic Research. Its website says it has more than 9000 signatures though most names are not public. 'The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is to allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk' the declaration says."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"215;2020-10-16 12:00:00;64;""Scientists: Herd immunity strategy against COVID-19 will kill not help"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'It's just ridiculous' said Yvonne Maldonado an epidemiologist and infectious disease specialist at Stanford University Medical School. 'Everything they say (in thedeclaration) is either misinformation or an outright lie.'"";""Yvonne Maldonado"";""Stanford University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"216;2020-10-16 12:00:00;64;""Scientists: Herd immunity strategy against COVID-19 will kill not help"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Thomas File president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America denounced the declaration Wednesday saying it was 'released without data or evidence.'"";""Thomas File"";""Infectious Diseases Society of America"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"217;2020-10-16 12:00:00;64;""Scientists: Herd immunity strategy against COVID-19 will kill not help"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'We know that the natural history of coronavirus infections is that people can get reinfected over and over again' she said. In one case a 25-year-old man from Nevada was infected in late March and five weeks after recovering was diagnosed again with a slightly different version of the virus.The idea that it's possible to isolate high-risk people is absurd Maldonado said.'Over 40% of the U.S. population has some risk. I don't know how you are going to keep 40% of the population away from the other 60%' she said."";""Yvonne Maldonado"";""Stanford University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"420;2020-10-16 12:00:00;64;""Scientists: Herd immunity strategy against COVID-19 will kill not help"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'We know that the natural history of coronavirus infections is that people can get reinfected over and over again' she said. In one case a 25-year-old man from Nevada was infected in late March and five weeks after recovering was diagnosed again with a slightly different version of the virus.The idea that it's possible to isolate high-risk people is absurd Maldonado said.'Over 40% of the U.S. population has some risk. I don't know how you are going to keep 40% of the population away from the other 60%' she said."";""Yvonne Maldonado"";""Stanford University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"218;2020-10-16 12:00:00;64;""Scientists: Herd immunity strategy against COVID-19 will kill not help"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'What we're talking about here is a disease in which you probably need to get somewhere in excess of 60% of people with permanent � not temporary � immunity' he said. 'It's just not attainable without a much greater mortality than we've had so far.'"";""George Rutherford"";""University of California San Francisco"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"219;2020-10-16 12:00:00;64;""Scientists: Herd immunity strategy against COVID-19 will kill not help"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'What we're talking about here is a disease in which you probably need to get somewhere in excess of 60% of people with permanent � not temporary � immunity' he said. 'It's just not attainable without a much greater mortality than we've had so far.'"";""George Rutherford"";""University of California San Francisco"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"220;2020-10-16 12:00:00;64;""Scientists: Herd immunity strategy against COVID-19 will kill not help"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'We're not anywhere near there yet' he said. 'If already200000 people have died and you want to let things go to get herd immunity you're going to get a lot of suffering and a lot of deaths. If we get herd immunity let's get it with a vaccine and not by letting everybody get infected.'"";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"221;2020-10-16 12:00:00;64;""Scientists: Herd immunity strategy against COVID-19 will kill not help"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'We're not anywhere near there yet' he said. 'If already200000 people have died and you want to let things go to get herd immunity you're going to get a lot of suffering and a lot of deaths. If we get herd immunity let's get it with a vaccine and not by letting everybody get infected.'"";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"223;2020-10-16 12:00:00;64;""Scientists: Herd immunity strategy against COVID-19 will kill not help"";""Elizabeth Weise"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Monday World Health Organization head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called herd immunity not just unscientific but unacceptable. 'It's not a choice betweenletting the virus run free and shutting down our societies' he said.Herd immunity Ghebreyesus said is possible only through vaccination which safely protects a large enough portion of the population to keep the virus from spreading. Letting the virus circulate unchecked would mean unnecessary infections suffering and death. 'Never in the history of public health has herd immunity been used as a strategy for responding to an outbreak let alone a pandemic' Ghebreyesus said. 'Allowing a dangerous virus that we don't fully understand to run free is simply unethical.'"";""Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus"";""World Health Organization"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"224;2020-10-16 12:00:00;65;""THE CORONAVIRUS | Fauci gives blunt update in a Jefferson Zoom talk"";""Tom Avril"";""The Philadelphia Inquirer"";"""";"""";""He acknowledged that everyone wants to achieve herd immunity� � the point at which enough people have immunity that society can return to normal. But the way to do that is with a vaccine not by letting the disease spread unchecked he said. Were very concerned about this concept of letting people get infected or letting herd immunity come in� he said. A lot of people would have to die first before you got to herd immunity.�"";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"225;2020-10-16 12:00:00;65;""THE CORONAVIRUS | Fauci gives blunt update in a Jefferson Zoom talk"";""Tom Avril"";""The Philadelphia Inquirer"";"""";"""";""He acknowledged that everyone wants to achieve herd immunity� � the point at which enough people have immunity that society can return to normal. But the way to do that is with a vaccine not by letting the disease spread unchecked he said. Were very concerned about this concept of letting people get infected or letting herd immunity come in� he said. A lot of people would have to die first before you got to herd immunity.�"";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"226;2020-10-16 12:00:00;66;""CORONAVIRUS | Who was that unmasked man? It��s OK it was Fauci updating Jeff docs about the pandemic"";""Tom Avril"";""The Philadelphia Daily News"";"""";"""";""He acknowledged that everyone wants to achieve herd immunity� � the point at which enough people have immunity that society can return to normal. But the way to do that is with a vaccine not by letting the disease spread unchecked he said. Were very concerned about this concept of letting people get infected or letting herd immunity come in� he said. A lot of people would have to die first before you got to herd immunity.�"";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"227;2020-10-16 12:00:00;66;""CORONAVIRUS | Who was that unmasked man? It��s OK it was Fauci updating Jeff docs about the pandemic"";""Tom Avril"";""The Philadelphia Daily News"";"""";"""";""He acknowledged that everyone wants to achieve herd immunity� � the point at which enough people have immunity that society can return to normal. But the way to do that is with a vaccine not by letting the disease spread unchecked he said. Were very concerned about this concept of letting people get infected or letting herd immunity come in� he said. A lot of people would have to die first before you got to herd immunity.�"";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"228;2020-10-16 12:00:00;67;""Coronavirus Update"";""James Barron"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""On Thursday it was panned by scientists from the United States and Europe who called it ''a dangerous fallacy unsupported by scientific evidence'' in the medical journal The Lancet."";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"222;2020-10-16 12:00:00;67;""Coronavirus Update"";""James Barron"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""Dr. Anthony S. Fauci the nation's top infectious disease expert also weighed in against herd immunity on Thursday declaring on the ABC News program ''GoodMorning America'' that it would be ''ridiculous'' to ''just let things rip and let the infection go -- no masks crowd it doesn't make any difference.'' He said there would be ''so many people in the community that you can't shelter that you can't protect who are going to get sick and get serious consequences.''"";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"229;2020-10-16 12:00:00;67;""Coronavirus Update"";""James Barron"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""Dr. Anthony S. Fauci the nation's top infectious disease expert also weighed in against herd immunity on Thursday declaring on the ABC News program ''GoodMorning America'' that it would be ''ridiculous'' to ''just let things rip and let the infection go -- no masks crowd it doesn't make any difference.'' He said there would be ''so many people in the community that you can't shelter that you can't protect who are going to get sick and get serious consequences.''"";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"230;2020-10-16 12:00:00;67;""Coronavirus Update"";""James Barron"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""Dr. Anthony S. Fauci the nation's top infectious disease expert also weighed in against herd immunity on Thursday declaring on the ABC News program ''GoodMorning America'' that it would be ''ridiculous'' to ''just let things rip and let the infection go -- no masks crowd it doesn't make any difference.'' He said there would be ''so many people in the community that you can't shelter that you can't protect who are going to get sick and get serious consequences.''"";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"231;2020-10-16 12:00:00;67;""Coronavirus Update"";""James Barron"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""That was a reference to an Oct. 4 petition called the Great Barrington Declaration which was cited by two senior officials in a conference call with reporters on Monday. The declaration said that there should be ''measures to protect the vulnerable'' but that ''those who are not vulnerable should immediately be allowed to resume life as normal.'' It said that schools and universities should be open for in-person classes and ''extracurricular activities such as sports should be resumed.'' Its website says that just over 9900 ''medical and public health scientists'' have signed it as have more than 26000 ''medical practitioners.''"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"232;2020-10-16 12:00:00;67;""Coronavirus Update"";""James Barron"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""That was a reference to an Oct. 4 petition called the Great Barrington Declaration which was cited by two senior officials in a conference call with reporters on Monday. The declaration said that there should be ''measures to protect the vulnerable'' but that ''those who are not vulnerable should immediately be allowed to resume life as normal.'' It said that schools and universities should be open for in-person classes and ''extracurricular activities such as sports should be resumed.'' Its website says that just over 9900 ''medical and public health scientists'' have signed it as have more than 26000 ''medical practitioners.''"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"233;2020-10-16 12:00:00;67;""Coronavirus Update"";""James Barron"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus the director-general of the World Health Organization had criticized herd immunity as a way of stopping the pandemic as''scientifically and ethically problematic'' during a briefing earlier in the week. ''Herd immunity is achieved by protecting people from a virus not by exposing them to it'' he said."";""Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus"";""World Health Organization"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"200;2020-10-17 12:00:00;61;""A dangerous declaration"";""Unspecified"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""The new plan known as the Great Barrington Declaration was unveiled Oct. 4 at the American Institute for Economic Research a libertarian think tank in that western Massachusetts town. The authors call for protecting the 'vulnerable' but for most others - especially the young - recommend 'resume life as normal.' Open schools universities restaurants and other businesses hold arts sports and cultural activities and follow 'simple hygiene measures.' The spreading infection will eventually reach 'herd immunity' a tipping point when enough people gain natural immunity that the virus will not circulate."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"201;2020-10-17 12:00:00;61;""A dangerous declaration"";""Unspecified"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""The new plan known as the Great Barrington Declaration was unveiled Oct. 4 at the American Institute for Economic Research a libertarian think tank in that western Massachusetts town. The authors call for protecting the 'vulnerable' but for most others - especially the young - recommend 'resume life as normal.' Open schools universities restaurants and other businesses hold arts sports and cultural activities and follow 'simple hygiene measures.' The spreading infection will eventually reach 'herd immunity' a tipping point when enough people gain natural immunity that the virus will not circulate."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"202;2020-10-17 12:00:00;61;""A dangerous declaration"";""Unspecified"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""This is a terribly misguided and dangerous notion. It would lead to a new wave of illness and deaths. The authors Martin Kulldorff of Harvard University Sunetra Gupta of Oxford University and Jay Bhattacharya of Stanford University Medical School propose to 'allow those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives"";"""";""The Washington Post"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"203;2020-10-17 12:00:00;61;""A dangerous declaration"";""Unspecified"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""How many people will die or suffer debilitating sickness along this path toward 'herd immunity'? They don't say. But the experience of the past nine months provides incontrovertible evidence that when people congregate in bars and restaurants at weddings on cruise ships in the White House or in summer camp the virus transmits and deaths follow. "";"""";""The Washington Post"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"204;2020-10-17 12:00:00;61;""A dangerous declaration"";""Unspecified"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""President Trump's disastrous encouragement to Sun Belt states to open in May triggered a catastrophic virus surge in the United States. Today the U.S. death toll is more than 217000. How many more waves how many more overwhelmed hospitals - like those in Wisconsin - would the authors wish us to endure before reaching natural 'herd immunity'? They don't say."";"""";""The Washington Post"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"189;2020-10-18 12:00:00;60;""Scientists Push Back on Herd-Immunity Approach to Covid-19 Touted by the White House the Great Barrington Declaration��which calls for ending lockdowns and isolating the vulnerable��i..."";""Daniela Hernandez Sarah Toy"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""Eighty doctors and public-health and medical researchers called the herd-immunity approach a 'dangerous fallacy' in a letter published Wednesday in the Lancet."";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"190;2020-10-18 12:00:00;60;""Scientists Push Back on Herd-Immunity Approach to Covid-19 Touted by the White House the Great Barrington Declaration��which calls for ending lockdowns and isolating the vulnerable��i..."";""Daniela Hernandez Sarah Toy"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""Scott Atlas a radiologist and one of the president's coronavirus advisers touted the document during a television interview Thursday. 'We just had a declaration written and the thrust of the declaration is exactly aligned with the president that is opening schools opening society and protecting the high-risk people the seniors' he said."";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"191;2020-10-18 12:00:00;60;""Scientists Push Back on Herd-Immunity Approach to Covid-19 Touted by the White House the Great Barrington Declaration��which calls for ending lockdowns and isolating the vulnerable��i..."";""Daniela Hernandez Sarah Toy"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""Scott Atlas a radiologist and one of the president's coronavirus advisers touted the document during a television interview Thursday. 'We just had a declaration written and the thrust of the declaration is exactly aligned with the president that is opening schools opening society and protecting the high-risk people the seniors' he said."";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"192;2020-10-18 12:00:00;60;""Scientists Push Back on Herd-Immunity Approach to Covid-19 Touted by the White House the Great Barrington Declaration��which calls for ending lockdowns and isolating the vulnerable��i..."";""Daniela Hernandez Sarah Toy"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""he document called the Great Barrington Declaration promotes an approach it calls 'focused protection' which pushes for young healthy people to live life normally and get infected to build up immunity in the population while working to better protect high-risk groups such as the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions like obesity and diabetes.Latest on the Virus* New U.S. cases dip below 600* Pelosi sets deadline for White House on coronavirus relief * Australia's Victoria state set to ease restrictions'As immunity builds in the population the risk of infection to all�including the vulnerable�falls' the document said. 'We know that all populations will eventually reach herd immunity�i.e. the point at which the rate of new infections is stable�and that this can be assisted by (but is not dependent upon) a vaccine. Our goal should therefore be to minimize mortality and social harm until we reach herd immunity.'"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"193;2020-10-18 12:00:00;60;""Scientists Push Back on Herd-Immunity Approach to Covid-19 Touted by the White House the Great Barrington Declaration��which calls for ending lockdowns and isolating the vulnerable��i..."";""Daniela Hernandez Sarah Toy"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""he document called the Great Barrington Declaration promotes an approach it calls 'focused protection' which pushes for young healthy people to live life normally and get infected to build up immunity in the population while working to better protect high-risk groups such as the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions like obesity and diabetes.Latest on the Virus* New U.S. cases dip below 600* Pelosi sets deadline for White House on coronavirus relief * Australia's Victoria state set to ease restrictions'As immunity builds in the population the risk of infection to all�including the vulnerable�falls' the document said. 'We know that all populations will eventually reach herd immunity�i.e. the point at which the rate of new infections is stable�and that this can be assisted by (but is not dependent upon) a vaccine. Our goal should therefore be to minimize mortality and social harm until we reach herd immunity.'"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"194;2020-10-18 12:00:00;60;""Scientists Push Back on Herd-Immunity Approach to Covid-19 Touted by the White House the Great Barrington Declaration��which calls for ending lockdowns and isolating the vulnerable��i..."";""Daniela Hernandez Sarah Toy"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""he document called the Great Barrington Declaration promotes an approach it calls 'focused protection' which pushes for young healthy people to live life normally and get infected to build up immunity in the population while working to better protect high-risk groups such as the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions like obesity and diabetes.Latest on the Virus* New U.S. cases dip below 600* Pelosi sets deadline for White House on coronavirus relief * Australia's Victoria state set to ease restrictions'As immunity builds in the population the risk of infection to all�including the vulnerable�falls' the document said. 'We know that all populations will eventually reach herd immunity�i.e. the point at which the rate of new infections is stable�and that this can be assisted by (but is not dependent upon) a vaccine. Our goal should therefore be to minimize mortality and social harm until we reach herd immunity.'"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"419;2020-10-18 12:00:00;60;""Scientists Push Back on Herd-Immunity Approach to Covid-19 Touted by the White House the Great Barrington Declaration��which calls for ending lockdowns and isolating the vulnerable��i..."";""Daniela Hernandez Sarah Toy"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""he document called the Great Barrington Declaration promotes an approach it calls 'focused protection' which pushes for young healthy people to live life normally and get infected to build up immunity in the population while working to better protect high-risk groups such as the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions like obesity and diabetes.Latest on the Virus* New U.S. cases dip below 600* Pelosi sets deadline for White House on coronavirus relief * Australia's Victoria state set to ease restrictions'As immunity builds in the population the risk of infection to all�including the vulnerable�falls' the document said. 'We know that all populations will eventually reach herd immunity�i.e. the point at which the rate of new infections is stable�and that this can be assisted by (but is not dependent upon) a vaccine. Our goal should therefore be to minimize mortality and social harm until we reach herd immunity.'"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"195;2020-10-18 12:00:00;60;""Scientists Push Back on Herd-Immunity Approach to Covid-19 Touted by the White House the Great Barrington Declaration��which calls for ending lockdowns and isolating the vulnerable��i..."";""Daniela Hernandez Sarah Toy"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""Never in the history of public health has herd immunity been used as a strategy for responding to an outbreak let alone a pandemic. It is scientifically and ethicallyproblematic' said World Health Organization director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus"";""Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus"";""World Health Organization"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"196;2020-10-18 12:00:00;60;""Scientists Push Back on Herd-Immunity Approach to Covid-19 Touted by the White House the Great Barrington Declaration��which calls for ending lockdowns and isolating the vulnerable��i..."";""Daniela Hernandez Sarah Toy"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""There's no debate here' said Ashish Jha dean of Brown University's School of Public Health. 'What they're calling for would just lead to many�hundreds of thousands of Americans�dying.'"";""Ashish Jha"";""Brown University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"197;2020-10-18 12:00:00;60;""Scientists Push Back on Herd-Immunity Approach to Covid-19 Touted by the White House the Great Barrington Declaration��which calls for ending lockdowns and isolating the vulnerable��i..."";""Daniela Hernandez Sarah Toy"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""There's no debate here' said Ashish Jha dean of Brown University's School of Public Health. 'What they're calling for would just lead to many�hundreds of thousands of Americans�dying.'"";""Ashish Jha"";""Brown University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"198;2020-10-18 12:00:00;60;""Scientists Push Back on Herd-Immunity Approach to Covid-19 Touted by the White House the Great Barrington Declaration��which calls for ending lockdowns and isolating the vulnerable��i..."";""Daniela Hernandez Sarah Toy"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""'We emphatically deny that the White House the President the Administration or anyone advising the President has pursued or advocated for any strategy of achieving herd immunity by letting the coronavirus infection spread through the community' he said."";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"199;2020-10-18 12:00:00;60;""Scientists Push Back on Herd-Immunity Approach to Covid-19 Touted by the White House the Great Barrington Declaration��which calls for ending lockdowns and isolating the vulnerable��i..."";""Daniela Hernandez Sarah Toy"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""Silent spread is the 'Achilles heel' of Covid-19 prevention said Abraar Karan a global health physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard MedicalSchool.'We understand how easily and how invisibly the virus transmits' he said. 'It's quite reckless for [the Trump administration] to embrace this declaration when formonths and months they've been ignoring the advice of many of the mainstream thought leaders in epidemiology infectious disease and virology.'"";""Abraar Karan"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"167;2020-10-19 12:00:00;52;""COVID doctor: Herd immunity rests on naive and faulty logic. In practice people will die."";""Thomas Ken Lew"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""the president has stated at a town hall that the virus could naturally disappear saying youll develop herd like a herd mentality. It's going to be ... herd developed.�"";""Donald Trump"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"168;2020-10-19 12:00:00;52;""COVID doctor: Herd immunity rests on naive and faulty logic. In practice people will die."";""Thomas Ken Lew"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""This will not work at least not without significant hospitalizations and death. The theory goes that if we allow young people to be naturally exposed to the virus while isolating the elderly and vulnerable a herd immunity will safely develop and the virus will peter out. Again in theory this sounds plausible but in practice people will die.First off this model presumes that young people do not get sick from COVID-19. This is not true. It is true that they are at lower risk of dying and having serious illness but there are still young people around the country who do get quite sick. As a hospital physician I have now treated many patients in their 30s and 40s struggling to breathe from COVID-19. Some spent weeks in the hospital dealing with debilitating weakness and PTSD even after recovery. Many young people who have recovered also continue to deal with post-viral complications such as persistent fatigue and asthma-like breathing problems that we are still just beginning to understand.Secondly to believe that an incredibly contagious and airborne virus will stay confined to young people and not affect the elderly and vulnerable is extremely na�ve and faulty logic. Even with the best of efforts due to asymptomatic carriers somebodys grandma or grandpa will be exposed or the virus will infect a nursing home or retirement community. Those who are more susceptible will be surrounded by the asymptomatic but infected � who are supposed to be the very people protecting them through herd immunity.�"";""Thomas Ken Lew"";""Stanford Health Care-ValleyCare"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"169;2020-10-19 12:00:00;52;""COVID doctor: Herd immunity rests on naive and faulty logic. In practice people will die."";""Thomas Ken Lew"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""This will not work at least not without significant hospitalizations and death. The theory goes that if we allow young people to be naturally exposed to the virus while isolating the elderly and vulnerable a herd immunity will safely develop and the virus will peter out. Again in theory this sounds plausible but in practice people will die.First off this model presumes that young people do not get sick from COVID-19. This is not true. It is true that they are at lower risk of dying and having serious illness but there are still young people around the country who do get quite sick. As a hospital physician I have now treated many patients in their 30s and 40s struggling to breathe from COVID-19. Some spent weeks in the hospital dealing with debilitating weakness and PTSD even after recovery. Many young people who have recovered also continue to deal with post-viral complications such as persistent fatigue and asthma-like breathing problems that we are still just beginning to understand.Secondly to believe that an incredibly contagious and airborne virus will stay confined to young people and not affect the elderly and vulnerable is extremely na�ve and faulty logic. Even with the best of efforts due to asymptomatic carriers somebodys grandma or grandpa will be exposed or the virus will infect a nursing home or retirement community. Those who are more susceptible will be surrounded by the asymptomatic but infected � who are supposed to be the very people protecting them through herd immunity.�"";""Thomas Ken Lew"";""Stanford Health Care-ValleyCare"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"415;2020-10-19 12:00:00;52;""COVID doctor: Herd immunity rests on naive and faulty logic. In practice people will die."";""Thomas Ken Lew"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""This will not work at least not without significant hospitalizations and death. The theory goes that if we allow young people to be naturally exposed to the virus while isolating the elderly and vulnerable a herd immunity will safely develop and the virus will peter out. Again in theory this sounds plausible but in practice people will die.First off this model presumes that young people do not get sick from COVID-19. This is not true. It is true that they are at lower risk of dying and having serious illness but there are still young people around the country who do get quite sick. As a hospital physician I have now treated many patients in their 30s and 40s struggling to breathe from COVID-19. Some spent weeks in the hospital dealing with debilitating weakness and PTSD even after recovery. Many young people who have recovered also continue to deal with post-viral complications such as persistent fatigue and asthma-like breathing problems that we are still just beginning to understand.Secondly to believe that an incredibly contagious and airborne virus will stay confined to young people and not affect the elderly and vulnerable is extremely na�ve and faulty logic. Even with the best of efforts due to asymptomatic carriers somebodys grandma or grandpa will be exposed or the virus will infect a nursing home or retirement community. Those who are more susceptible will be surrounded by the asymptomatic but infected � who are supposed to be the very people protecting them through herd immunity.�"";""Thomas Ken Lew"";""Stanford Health Care-ValleyCare"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"416;2020-10-19 12:00:00;52;""COVID doctor: Herd immunity rests on naive and faulty logic. In practice people will die."";""Thomas Ken Lew"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus this month called the strategy of herd immunity to combat COVID-19 both scientifically and ethically problematic.�"";""Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus"";""World Health Organization"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"417;2020-10-19 12:00:00;52;""COVID doctor: Herd immunity rests on naive and faulty logic. In practice people will die."";""Thomas Ken Lew"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Dr. Anthony Fauci even called it total nonsense.�"";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"615;2020-10-19 12:00:00;53;""A Viral Theory Cited by Health Officials Draws Fire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""r. Anthony Fauci the governments top infectious disease expert has dismissed thedeclaration as unscientific dangerous and total nonsense.�"";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"616;2020-10-19 12:00:00;53;""A Viral Theory Cited by Health Officials Draws Fire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""I think its wrong I think its unsafe I think it invites people to act in ways that have the potential to do an enormous amount of harm� said Dr. Rochelle Walensky an infectious disease expert at Harvard University and one of the signatories to the Snow memo. You dont roll out disease � you roll out vaccination.�"";""Rochelle Walensky"";""Harvard University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"617;2020-10-19 12:00:00;53;""A Viral Theory Cited by Health Officials Draws Fire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""I think its wrong I think its unsafe I think it invites people to act in ways that have the potential to do an enormous amount of harm� said Dr. Rochelle Walensky an infectious disease expert at Harvard University and one of the signatories to the Snow memo. You dont roll out disease � you roll out vaccination.�"";""Rochelle Walensky"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"620;2020-10-19 12:00:00;53;""A Viral Theory Cited by Health Officials Draws Fire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""People who are more at risk may participate if they wish while society as a whole enjoys the protection conferred upon the vulnerable by those who have built up herd immunity� the declaration said."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"621;2020-10-19 12:00:00;53;""A Viral Theory Cited by Health Officials Draws Fire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""People who are more at risk may participate if they wish while society as a whole enjoys the protection conferred upon the vulnerable by those who have built up herd immunity� the declaration said."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"622;2020-10-19 12:00:00;53;""A Viral Theory Cited by Health Officials Draws Fire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Its amazingly irresponsible� not to take these risks into account Dr. Nabarro said."";""David Nabarro"";""World Health Organization"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"623;2020-10-19 12:00:00;53;""A Viral Theory Cited by Health Officials Draws Fire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Its amazingly irresponsible� not to take these risks into account Dr. Nabarro said."";""David Nabarro"";""World Health Organization"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"624;2020-10-19 12:00:00;53;""A Viral Theory Cited by Health Officials Draws Fire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Its amazingly irresponsible� not to take these risks into account Dr. Nabarro said."";""David Nabarro"";""World Health Organization"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"625;2020-10-19 12:00:00;53;""A Viral Theory Cited by Health Officials Draws Fire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Are we going to compel these people to leave? And if were not going to compel them to leave then hows this supposed to go?� she said. Then you are going to see the deaths that you say were not going to see.�"";""Ruth Faden"";""John Hopkins University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"626;2020-10-19 12:00:00;53;""A Viral Theory Cited by Health Officials Draws Fire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Are we going to compel these people to leave? And if were not going to compel them to leave then hows this supposed to go?� she said. Then you are going to see the deaths that you say were not going to see.�"";""Ruth Faden"";""John Hopkins University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"627;2020-10-19 12:00:00;53;""A Viral Theory Cited by Health Officials Draws Fire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Are we going to compel these people to leave? And if were not going to compel them to leave then hows this supposed to go?� she said. Then you are going to see the deaths that you say were not going to see.�"";""Ruth Faden"";""John Hopkins University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"628;2020-10-19 12:00:00;53;""A Viral Theory Cited by Health Officials Draws Fire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""I dont know exactly how it would work� said Gabriela Gomes a mathematical modeler at the University of Strathclyde in Britain and one of 42 co-signers."";""Gabriela Gomes"";""University of Strathclyde"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"629;2020-10-19 12:00:00;53;""A Viral Theory Cited by Health Officials Draws Fire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Paul McKeigue a genetic epidemiologist at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland said Specific control measures for preventing coronavirustransmission are not my area of expertise.�"";""Paul McKeigue"";""University of Edinburgh"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"630;2020-10-19 12:00:00;53;""A Viral Theory Cited by Health Officials Draws Fire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""The town of Great Barrington Mass. home to the American Institute for Economic Research recently distanced itself from the declaration  saying the strategy it proposed could cost millions of lives.� Anyone who might avoid Great Barrington due to confusion over the Declaration is invited to visit and see how COVID-safe works in a small New England town� the towns leaders wrote."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington (town)"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"631;2020-10-19 12:00:00;53;""A Viral Theory Cited by Health Officials Draws Fire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""The town of Great Barrington Mass. home to the American Institute for Economic Research recently distanced itself from the declaration  saying the strategy it proposed could cost millions of lives.� Anyone who might avoid Great Barrington due to confusion over the Declaration is invited to visit and see how COVID-safe works in a small New England town� the towns leaders wrote."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington (town)"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"632;2020-10-19 12:00:00;54;""Public health experts are alarmed by a �herd immunity�� theory endorsed by Trump officials."";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""The central proposition is that to contain the coronavirus people who are not vulnerable should immediately be allowed to resume life as normal� while those at highrisk are protected from infection."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"633;2020-10-19 12:00:00;54;""Public health experts are alarmed by a �herd immunity�� theory endorsed by Trump officials."";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""The central proposition is that to contain the coronavirus people who are not vulnerable should immediately be allowed to resume life as normal� while those at highrisk are protected from infection."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"634;2020-10-19 12:00:00;54;""Public health experts are alarmed by a �herd immunity�� theory endorsed by Trump officials."";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Dr. Anthony S. Fauci the governments top infectious disease expert dismissed the declaration as unscientific dangerous and total nonsense� as well as unethical particularly for multigenerational families and communities of color."";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"635;2020-10-19 12:00:00;54;""Public health experts are alarmed by a �herd immunity�� theory endorsed by Trump officials."";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""I think its wrong I think its unsafe I think it invites people to act in ways that have the potential to do an enormous amount of harm� said Dr. Rochelle Walensky an infectious disease expert at Harvard University and one of the signatories to the Snow memo. You dont roll out disease � you roll out vaccination.�"";""Rochelle Walensky"";""Harvard University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"636;2020-10-19 12:00:00;54;""Public health experts are alarmed by a �herd immunity�� theory endorsed by Trump officials."";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""I think its wrong I think its unsafe I think it invites people to act in ways that have the potential to do an enormous amount of harm� said Dr. Rochelle Walensky an infectious disease expert at Harvard University and one of the signatories to the Snow memo. You dont roll out disease � you roll out vaccination.�"";""Rochelle Walensky"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"637;2020-10-19 12:00:00;55;""Trump''s den of dissent: Inside the White House task force as coronavirus surges"";""Yasmeen Abutaleb Philip Rucker Josh Dawsey Robert Costa"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""On the issue of herd immunity Atlas said 'We emphatically deny that the White House the President the Administration or anyone advising the President has pursued or advocated for a wide-open strategy of achieving herd immunity by letting the infection proceed through the community.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"639;2020-10-19 12:00:00;55;""Trump''s den of dissent: Inside the White House task force as coronavirus surges"";""Yasmeen Abutaleb Philip Rucker Josh Dawsey Robert Costa"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'We'd be foolish to reenter a situation where we know what to do and we're not doing it' said Rochelle Walensky chief of the division of infectious diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital and a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. 'This thing can take off. All you need to do is look at what's happened at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue over the last two weeks to see that this thing is way faster than we're giving it credit for.'"";""Rochelle Walensky"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"640;2020-10-19 12:00:00;56;""What Fans of �Herd Immunity�� Don��t Tell You"";""John M Barry"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Great Barrington Declarationgroup of well-credentialed scientists who want to shift Covid-19 policy toward achieving herd immunity � the point at which enough people have become immune to the virus that its spread becomes unlikely.They would do this by allowing those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally.� This they say will allow people to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk. We call this Focused Protection.�"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"641;2020-10-19 12:00:00;56;""What Fans of �Herd Immunity�� Don��t Tell You"";""John M Barry"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Great Barrington Declarationgroup of well-credentialed scientists who want to shift Covid-19 policy toward achieving herd immunity � the point at which enough people have become immune to the virus that its spread becomes unlikely.They would do this by allowing those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally.� This they say will allow people to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk. We call this Focused Protection.�"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"642;2020-10-19 12:00:00;56;""What Fans of �Herd Immunity�� Don��t Tell You"";""John M Barry"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""Great Barrington Declarationgroup of well-credentialed scientists who want to shift Covid-19 policy toward achieving herd immunity � the point at which enough people have become immune to the virus that its spread becomes unlikely.They would do this by allowing those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally.� This they say will allow people to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk. We call this Focused Protection.�"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"643;2020-10-19 12:00:00;56;""What Fans of �Herd Immunity�� Don��t Tell You"";""John M Barry"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""First it makes no mention of harm to infected people in low-risk groups yet many people recover very slowly. More serious a significant number including those with no symptoms suffer damage to their heart and lungs. Onerecent study of 100 recovered adults found that 78 of them showed signs of heart damage. We have no idea whether this damage will cut years from their lives or affect their quality of life.Second it says little about how to protect the vulnerable. One can keep a child from visiting a grandparent in another city easily enough but what happens when the child and grandparent live in the same household? And how do you protect a 25-year-old diabetic or cancer survivor or obese person or anyone else with a comorbidity who needs to go to work every day? Upon closer examination the focused protection� that the declaration urges devolves into a kind of three-card monte one cant pin it down.Third the declaration omits mention of how many people the policy would kill. Its a lot.The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington whose modeling of the pandemic the White House has used predicts up to about415000 deaths by Feb. 1 even with current restrictions continuing. If these restrictions are simply eased � as opposed to eliminating them entirely which would occur if herd immunity were pursued � deaths could rise to as many as 571527. Thats just by Feb. 1. The model predicts daily deaths will still be increasing then.Will we have achieved herd immunity then? No.Herd immunity occurs when enough people have immunity either through natural infection or a vaccine so the outbreak eventually dies out. By Feb. 1 even with eased mandates only 25 percent of the population will have been infected by my calculations. The most optimistic model suggests herd immunity might occur when 43 percent of the population has been infected but many estimate 60 percent to 70 percent before transmission trends definitively down.Those are models. Actual data from prison populations and from Latin America suggest transmission does not slow down until 60 percent of the population is infected. (At present only about 10 percent of the population has been infected according to the C.D.C.)And what will be the cost? Even if herd immunity can be achieved with only 40 percent of the population infected or vaccinated the I.H.M.E. estimates that a total of 800000 Americans would die. The real death toll needed to reach herd immunity could far exceed one million.As horrific a price as that is it could prove much worse if damage to the heart lungs or other organs of those who recover from the immediate effects of the virus does not heal and instead leads to early deaths or incapacitation. But we wont know that for years. Some aftereffects of the 1918 influenza pandemic did not surface until the 1920s or later. For instance children born during its peak in 1919had worse health outcomes as they grew older compared with others born around that time. There is speculation that the influenza caused a disease called encephalitis lethargica which became almost epidemic in the 1920s and then later disappeared and which affected patients in Oliver Sackss book Awakenings.� Both the 1918 pandemic and other viruses have been linked to Parkinsons disease.Proponents of herd immunity point to Sweden. Swedish officials deny having actively pursued that strategy but they never shut down their economy or closed most schools and they still havent recommended masks. Its neighbors Denmark and Norway did. Swedens death rate per 100000 people is five times Denmarks and 11 times Norways. Did the deaths buy economic prosperity? No. Swedens G.D.P. fell 8.3 percent in the second quarter compared with Denmarks 6.8 percent and Norways 5.1 percent.Finally the Great Barrington Declaration aims at a straw man opposing the kind of large general lockdown that began in March. No one is proposing that now.Is there an alternative? There was once a simple one which the vast majority of public health experts urged for months: social distancing avoiding crowds wearing masks washing hands and a robust contact tracing system with support for those who are asked to self-quarantine and for selected closures when and where necessary.Some states listened to the advice and have done well just as many schools listened and have reopened without seeing a surge. But the Trump administration and too many governors never got behind these measures reopened too many states too soon and still havent straightened out testing.Worse the White House has all but embraced herd immunity and has also poisoned the public with misinformation making it all but impossible to get national near- universal compliance with public health advice for the foreseeable future.As a result the United States is not in a good place and achieving near containment of the virus � as South Korea (441 deaths) Australia (904 deaths) Japan (1657 deaths) and several other countries have done � is impossible. We can however still aim for results akin to those of Canada where there were 23 deaths on Friday and Germany which suffered 24 deaths on Friday.Getting to that point will require finally following the advice that has been given for months. That will not happen with this White House especially since it is now all but openly advocating herd immunity but states cities and people can act for themselves.Nothing including monoclonal antibodies rapid antigen testing or even a vaccine will provide a silver bullet. But everything will help. And hundreds of thousands of Americans will keep living who would otherwise have died under a policy of herd immunity."";""John M Barry"";""Tulane University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"644;2020-10-19 12:00:00;56;""What Fans of �Herd Immunity�� Don��t Tell You"";""John M Barry"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""First it makes no mention of harm to infected people in low-risk groups yet many people recover very slowly. More serious a significant number including those with no symptoms suffer damage to their heart and lungs. Onerecent study of 100 recovered adults found that 78 of them showed signs of heart damage. We have no idea whether this damage will cut years from their lives or affect their quality of life.Second it says little about how to protect the vulnerable. One can keep a child from visiting a grandparent in another city easily enough but what happens when the child and grandparent live in the same household? And how do you protect a 25-year-old diabetic or cancer survivor or obese person or anyone else with a comorbidity who needs to go to work every day? Upon closer examination the focused protection� that the declaration urges devolves into a kind of three-card monte one cant pin it down.Third the declaration omits mention of how many people the policy would kill. Its a lot.The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington whose modeling of the pandemic the White House has used predicts up to about415000 deaths by Feb. 1 even with current restrictions continuing. If these restrictions are simply eased � as opposed to eliminating them entirely which would occur if herd immunity were pursued � deaths could rise to as many as 571527. Thats just by Feb. 1. The model predicts daily deaths will still be increasing then.Will we have achieved herd immunity then? No.Herd immunity occurs when enough people have immunity either through natural infection or a vaccine so the outbreak eventually dies out. By Feb. 1 even with eased mandates only 25 percent of the population will have been infected by my calculations. The most optimistic model suggests herd immunity might occur when 43 percent of the population has been infected but many estimate 60 percent to 70 percent before transmission trends definitively down.Those are models. Actual data from prison populations and from Latin America suggest transmission does not slow down until 60 percent of the population is infected. (At present only about 10 percent of the population has been infected according to the C.D.C.)And what will be the cost? Even if herd immunity can be achieved with only 40 percent of the population infected or vaccinated the I.H.M.E. estimates that a total of 800000 Americans would die. The real death toll needed to reach herd immunity could far exceed one million.As horrific a price as that is it could prove much worse if damage to the heart lungs or other organs of those who recover from the immediate effects of the virus does not heal and instead leads to early deaths or incapacitation. But we wont know that for years. Some aftereffects of the 1918 influenza pandemic did not surface until the 1920s or later. For instance children born during its peak in 1919had worse health outcomes as they grew older compared with others born around that time. There is speculation that the influenza caused a disease called encephalitis lethargica which became almost epidemic in the 1920s and then later disappeared and which affected patients in Oliver Sackss book Awakenings.� Both the 1918 pandemic and other viruses have been linked to Parkinsons disease.Proponents of herd immunity point to Sweden. Swedish officials deny having actively pursued that strategy but they never shut down their economy or closed most schools and they still havent recommended masks. Its neighbors Denmark and Norway did. Swedens death rate per 100000 people is five times Denmarks and 11 times Norways. Did the deaths buy economic prosperity? No. Swedens G.D.P. fell 8.3 percent in the second quarter compared with Denmarks 6.8 percent and Norways 5.1 percent.Finally the Great Barrington Declaration aims at a straw man opposing the kind of large general lockdown that began in March. No one is proposing that now.Is there an alternative? There was once a simple one which the vast majority of public health experts urged for months: social distancing avoiding crowds wearing masks washing hands and a robust contact tracing system with support for those who are asked to self-quarantine and for selected closures when and where necessary.Some states listened to the advice and have done well just as many schools listened and have reopened without seeing a surge. But the Trump administration and too many governors never got behind these measures reopened too many states too soon and still havent straightened out testing.Worse the White House has all but embraced herd immunity and has also poisoned the public with misinformation making it all but impossible to get national near- universal compliance with public health advice for the foreseeable future.As a result the United States is not in a good place and achieving near containment of the virus � as South Korea (441 deaths) Australia (904 deaths) Japan (1657 deaths) and several other countries have done � is impossible. We can however still aim for results akin to those of Canada where there were 23 deaths on Friday and Germany which suffered 24 deaths on Friday.Getting to that point will require finally following the advice that has been given for months. That will not happen with this White House especially since it is now all but openly advocating herd immunity but states cities and people can act for themselves.Nothing including monoclonal antibodies rapid antigen testing or even a vaccine will provide a silver bullet. But everything will help. And hundreds of thousands of Americans will keep living who would otherwise have died under a policy of herd immunity."";""John M Barry"";""Tulane University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"645;2020-10-19 12:00:00;56;""What Fans of �Herd Immunity�� Don��t Tell You"";""John M Barry"";""NYTimes.com Feed"";"""";"""";""First it makes no mention of harm to infected people in low-risk groups yet many people recover very slowly. More serious a significant number including those with no symptoms suffer damage to their heart and lungs. Onerecent study of 100 recovered adults found that 78 of them showed signs of heart damage. We have no idea whether this damage will cut years from their lives or affect their quality of life.Second it says little about how to protect the vulnerable. One can keep a child from visiting a grandparent in another city easily enough but what happens when the child and grandparent live in the same household? And how do you protect a 25-year-old diabetic or cancer survivor or obese person or anyone else with a comorbidity who needs to go to work every day? Upon closer examination the focused protection� that the declaration urges devolves into a kind of three-card monte one cant pin it down.Third the declaration omits mention of how many people the policy would kill. Its a lot.The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington whose modeling of the pandemic the White House has used predicts up to about415000 deaths by Feb. 1 even with current restrictions continuing. If these restrictions are simply eased � as opposed to eliminating them entirely which would occur if herd immunity were pursued � deaths could rise to as many as 571527. Thats just by Feb. 1. The model predicts daily deaths will still be increasing then.Will we have achieved herd immunity then? No.Herd immunity occurs when enough people have immunity either through natural infection or a vaccine so the outbreak eventually dies out. By Feb. 1 even with eased mandates only 25 percent of the population will have been infected by my calculations. The most optimistic model suggests herd immunity might occur when 43 percent of the population has been infected but many estimate 60 percent to 70 percent before transmission trends definitively down.Those are models. Actual data from prison populations and from Latin America suggest transmission does not slow down until 60 percent of the population is infected. (At present only about 10 percent of the population has been infected according to the C.D.C.)And what will be the cost? Even if herd immunity can be achieved with only 40 percent of the population infected or vaccinated the I.H.M.E. estimates that a total of 800000 Americans would die. The real death toll needed to reach herd immunity could far exceed one million.As horrific a price as that is it could prove much worse if damage to the heart lungs or other organs of those who recover from the immediate effects of the virus does not heal and instead leads to early deaths or incapacitation. But we wont know that for years. Some aftereffects of the 1918 influenza pandemic did not surface until the 1920s or later. For instance children born during its peak in 1919had worse health outcomes as they grew older compared with others born around that time. There is speculation that the influenza caused a disease called encephalitis lethargica which became almost epidemic in the 1920s and then later disappeared and which affected patients in Oliver Sackss book Awakenings.� Both the 1918 pandemic and other viruses have been linked to Parkinsons disease.Proponents of herd immunity point to Sweden. Swedish officials deny having actively pursued that strategy but they never shut down their economy or closed most schools and they still havent recommended masks. Its neighbors Denmark and Norway did. Swedens death rate per 100000 people is five times Denmarks and 11 times Norways. Did the deaths buy economic prosperity? No. Swedens G.D.P. fell 8.3 percent in the second quarter compared with Denmarks 6.8 percent and Norways 5.1 percent.Finally the Great Barrington Declaration aims at a straw man opposing the kind of large general lockdown that began in March. No one is proposing that now.Is there an alternative? There was once a simple one which the vast majority of public health experts urged for months: social distancing avoiding crowds wearing masks washing hands and a robust contact tracing system with support for those who are asked to self-quarantine and for selected closures when and where necessary.Some states listened to the advice and have done well just as many schools listened and have reopened without seeing a surge. But the Trump administration and too many governors never got behind these measures reopened too many states too soon and still havent straightened out testing.Worse the White House has all but embraced herd immunity and has also poisoned the public with misinformation making it all but impossible to get national near- universal compliance with public health advice for the foreseeable future.As a result the United States is not in a good place and achieving near containment of the virus � as South Korea (441 deaths) Australia (904 deaths) Japan (1657 deaths) and several other countries have done � is impossible. We can however still aim for results akin to those of Canada where there were 23 deaths on Friday and Germany which suffered 24 deaths on Friday.Getting to that point will require finally following the advice that has been given for months. That will not happen with this White House especially since it is now all but openly advocating herd immunity but states cities and people can act for themselves.Nothing including monoclonal antibodies rapid antigen testing or even a vaccine will provide a silver bullet. But everything will help. And hundreds of thousands of Americans will keep living who would otherwise have died under a policy of herd immunity."";""John M Barry"";""Tulane University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"170;2020-10-19 12:00:00;57;""Doctors and scientists take aim at herd immunity calling it �nonsense�� and a �nebulous�� idea Experts say the case for herd immunity is more about a longing for economic normalcy than a realistic plan for the future"";""Jaimy Lee"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""The document cited Monday by White House officials during a call with reporters is called the Great Barrington Declaration  which states older people and the medically vulnerable should continue to stay home and those at minimal risk of death [should] live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection.�"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"171;2020-10-19 12:00:00;57;""Doctors and scientists take aim at herd immunity calling it �nonsense�� and a �nebulous�� idea Experts say the case for herd immunity is more about a longing for economic normalcy than a realistic plan for the future"";""Jaimy Lee"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""The document cited Monday by White House officials during a call with reporters is called the Great Barrington Declaration  which states older people and the medically vulnerable should continue to stay home and those at minimal risk of death [should] live their lives normally to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection.�"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"172;2020-10-19 12:00:00;57;""Doctors and scientists take aim at herd immunity calling it �nonsense�� and a �nebulous�� idea Experts say the case for herd immunity is more about a longing for economic normalcy than a realistic plan for the future"";""Jaimy Lee"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""Dr. Anthony Fauci director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases told Good Morning America this week that the proposal is nonsense�"";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"173;2020-10-19 12:00:00;57;""Doctors and scientists take aim at herd immunity calling it �nonsense�� and a �nebulous�� idea Experts say the case for herd immunity is more about a longing for economic normalcy than a realistic plan for the future"";""Jaimy Lee"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""he Infectious Diseases Society of America said that promoting the concept of �herd immunity as framed in a recently circulated document as an answer to theCOVID-19 pandemic is inappropriate irresponsible and ill-informed.�"";"""";""Infectious Diseases Society of America"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"174;2020-10-19 12:00:00;57;""Doctors and scientists take aim at herd immunity calling it �nonsense�� and a �nebulous�� idea Experts say the case for herd immunity is more about a longing for economic normalcy than a realistic plan for the future"";""Jaimy Lee"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""But with a highly contagious and sometimes fatal virus like SARS-CoV-2 this also means the loss of potentially hundreds of thousands of lives. Without a vaccine many people would have to die from COVID-19 before population immunity is achieved� two professors wrote in an editorial in The Lancet last month."";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"175;2020-10-19 12:00:00;57;""Doctors and scientists take aim at herd immunity calling it �nonsense�� and a �nebulous�� idea Experts say the case for herd immunity is more about a longing for economic normalcy than a realistic plan for the future"";""Jaimy Lee"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""But with a highly contagious and sometimes fatal virus like SARS-CoV-2 this also means the loss of potentially hundreds of thousands of lives. Without a vaccine many people would have to die from COVID-19 before population immunity is achieved� two professors wrote in an editorial in The Lancet last month."";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"176;2020-10-19 12:00:00;57;""Doctors and scientists take aim at herd immunity calling it �nonsense�� and a �nebulous�� idea Experts say the case for herd immunity is more about a longing for economic normalcy than a realistic plan for the future"";""Jaimy Lee"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""Theres a lot of enthusiasm and belief that this can be somehow quickly and easily achieved with little harm� said Glen Nowak director of Grady Colleges Center for Health and Risk Communication. That was sort of the belief with hydroxychloroquine and that turned out not to be true.�"";""Glen Nowak"";""Grady College"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"177;2020-10-19 12:00:00;57;""Doctors and scientists take aim at herd immunity calling it �nonsense�� and a �nebulous�� idea Experts say the case for herd immunity is more about a longing for economic normalcy than a realistic plan for the future"";""Jaimy Lee"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""Theres a lot of enthusiasm and belief that this can be somehow quickly and easily achieved with little harm� said Glen Nowak director of Grady Colleges Center for Health and Risk Communication. That was sort of the belief with hydroxychloroquine and that turned out not to be true.�"";""Glen Nowak"";""Grady College"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"178;2020-10-19 12:00:00;57;""Doctors and scientists take aim at herd immunity calling it �nonsense�� and a �nebulous�� idea Experts say the case for herd immunity is more about a longing for economic normalcy than a realistic plan for the future"";""Jaimy Lee"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""Its a mirage to think that simply because were going to say were going to have herd immunity without the vaccine thats going to be our policy and thats somehow going to boost our economy� said Robert Litan an economist and a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. �As long as you have to wear a mask andsocial distance Main Street is dead.�"";""Robert Litan"";""Brookings Institution"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"418;2020-10-19 12:00:00;57;""Doctors and scientists take aim at herd immunity calling it �nonsense�� and a �nebulous�� idea Experts say the case for herd immunity is more about a longing for economic normalcy than a realistic plan for the future"";""Jaimy Lee"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""Its a mirage to think that simply because were going to say were going to have herd immunity without the vaccine thats going to be our policy and thats somehow going to boost our economy� said Robert Litan an economist and a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. �As long as you have to wear a mask andsocial distance Main Street is dead.�"";""Robert Litan"";""Brookings Institution"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"179;2020-10-19 12:00:00;58;""U.S. News: Herd-Immunity Tactic Alarms Many Experts"";""Daniela Hernandez Sarah Toy"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""Eighty doctors and public-health and medical researchers called the herd-immunity approach a 'dangerous fallacy' in a letter published Wednesday in the Lancet."";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"180;2020-10-19 12:00:00;58;""U.S. News: Herd-Immunity Tactic Alarms Many Experts"";""Daniela Hernandez Sarah Toy"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""Scott Atlas a radiologist and one of President Trump's coronavirus advisers touted the document in a television interview Thursday. 'We just had a declaration written and the thrust of the declaration is exactly aligned with the president that is opening schools opening society and protecting the high-risk people the seniors' he said."";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"181;2020-10-19 12:00:00;58;""U.S. News: Herd-Immunity Tactic Alarms Many Experts"";""Daniela Hernandez Sarah Toy"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""Scott Atlas a radiologist and one of President Trump's coronavirus advisers touted the document in a television interview Thursday. 'We just had a declaration written and the thrust of the declaration is exactly aligned with the president that is opening schools opening society and protecting the high-risk people the seniors' he said."";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"182;2020-10-19 12:00:00;58;""U.S. News: Herd-Immunity Tactic Alarms Many Experts"";""Daniela Hernandez Sarah Toy"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""The document called the Great Barrington Declaration promotes an approach it calls 'focused protection' which pushes for young healthy people to live life normally and get infected to build up immunity in the population while working to better protect high-risk groups such as the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions like obesity and diabetes.'As immunity builds in the population the risk of infection to all -- including the vulnerable -- falls' the document said. 'We know that all populations will eventually reach herd immunity -- i.e. the point at which the rate of new infections is stable -- and that this can be assisted by (but is not dependent upon) a vaccine. Our goal should therefore be to minimize mortality and social harm until we reach herd immunity.'"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"183;2020-10-19 12:00:00;58;""U.S. News: Herd-Immunity Tactic Alarms Many Experts"";""Daniela Hernandez Sarah Toy"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""The document called the Great Barrington Declaration promotes an approach it calls 'focused protection' which pushes for young healthy people to live life normally and get infected to build up immunity in the population while working to better protect high-risk groups such as the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions like obesity and diabetes.'As immunity builds in the population the risk of infection to all -- including the vulnerable -- falls' the document said. 'We know that all populations will eventually reach herd immunity -- i.e. the point at which the rate of new infections is stable -- and that this can be assisted by (but is not dependent upon) a vaccine. Our goal should therefore be to minimize mortality and social harm until we reach herd immunity.'"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"184;2020-10-19 12:00:00;58;""U.S. News: Herd-Immunity Tactic Alarms Many Experts"";""Daniela Hernandez Sarah Toy"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""The document called the Great Barrington Declaration promotes an approach it calls 'focused protection' which pushes for young healthy people to live life normally and get infected to build up immunity in the population while working to better protect high-risk groups such as the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions like obesity and diabetes.'As immunity builds in the population the risk of infection to all -- including the vulnerable -- falls' the document said. 'We know that all populations will eventually reach herd immunity -- i.e. the point at which the rate of new infections is stable -- and that this can be assisted by (but is not dependent upon) a vaccine. Our goal should therefore be to minimize mortality and social harm until we reach herd immunity.'"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"185;2020-10-19 12:00:00;58;""U.S. News: Herd-Immunity Tactic Alarms Many Experts"";""Daniela Hernandez Sarah Toy"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""'Never in the history of public health has herd immunity been used as a strategy for responding to an outbreak let alone a pandemic. It is scientifically and ethicallyproblematic' said World Health Organization director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in an Oct. 12 tweet."";""Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus"";""World Health Organization"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"186;2020-10-19 12:00:00;58;""U.S. News: Herd-Immunity Tactic Alarms Many Experts"";""Daniela Hernandez Sarah Toy"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""'What they're calling for would just lead to many -- hundreds of thousands of Americans -- dying' said Ashish Jha dean of Brown University's School of Public Health."";""Ashish Jha"";""Brown University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"187;2020-10-19 12:00:00;58;""U.S. News: Herd-Immunity Tactic Alarms Many Experts"";""Daniela Hernandez Sarah Toy"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""'What they're calling for would just lead to many -- hundreds of thousands of Americans -- dying' said Ashish Jha dean of Brown University's School of Public Health."";""Ashish Jha"";""Brown University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"188;2020-10-19 12:00:00;58;""U.S. News: Herd-Immunity Tactic Alarms Many Experts"";""Daniela Hernandez Sarah Toy"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""Despite publicly embracing the Great Barrington Declaration Dr. Atlas in a statement denied he and the White House have ever advocated for achieving herd immunity through community spread. 'We emphatically deny that the White House the President the Administration or anyone advising the President has pursued or advocated for any strategy of achieving herd immunity by letting the coronavirus infection spread through the community'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"646;2020-10-19 12:00:00;59;""Pursuing ''herd immunity'' is the reckless dead-wrong solution"";""Tom Frieden"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""As the covid-19 pandemic continues in the United States and many parts of the world millions of Americans are increasingly impatient for the economy and society to regain a more normal footing. Some 'maverick scientists' with 'an audience inside the White House' as The Post reported last week argue for 'allowing the coronavirus to spread freely at 'natural' rates among healthy young people while keeping most aspects of the economy up and running.'Their aim is to achieve 'herd immunity' the concept that if enough people are immune those without immunity can be protected. Usually this refers to immunity gained from vaccination the goal of herd immunity has typically not been applied to a disease for which there is no vaccine.There is a saying that for every complicated problem a solution exists that is quick simple - and wrong. That applies here: Pursuing herd immunity is the wrong dead wrong solution for the pandemic. Discussing such a reckless approach shouldn't be necessary except that it echoes the misguided ideas of neuroradiologist Scott Atlas who in recent months has become an influential medical adviser to President Trump.Atlas The Post reported has relied on similar-minded scientists 'to bolster his in-house arguments.'Less than 15 percent of Americans have been infected by the virus that causes covid-19. If immunity among those who have been infected and survived is strong and long-lasting (and it may well be neither) and if herd immunity kicks in at 60 percent infection of the population (and it might be higher) with a fatality rate of 0.5 percent among those infected then at least another half-million Americans - in addition to the 220000 who have already died - would have to die for the country to achieve herd immunity. And that's the best-case scenario. The number of deaths to get there could be twice as high.The route to herd immunity would run through graveyards filled with Americans who did not have to die because what starts in young adults doesn't stay in young adults. 'Protecting the vulnerable' however appealing it may sound isn't plausible if the virus is allowed to freely spread among younger people. We've seen this in families communities and entire regions of the country. First come cases in young adults. Then the virus spreads to older adults and medically vulnerable people. Hospitalizations increase. And then deaths increase.The vulnerable are not just a sliver of society. The 65-and-over population of the United States in 2018 was 52 million. As many as 60 percent of adults have a medical condition that increases their risk of death from covid-19 - with many unaware of their condition which can include undiagnosed kidney disease diabetes or cancer. The plain truth is that we cannot protect the vulnerable without protecting all of us.A one-two punch is needed to knock out the virus - a combination approach just as multiple drugs are used to treat infections such as HIV and tuberculosis. That in turn will allow the accelerated resumption of economic and social activity.First knock down the spread of the virus. The best way to do this is - as the country has been trying to do with uneven success - to reduce close contact with others especially in crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation. Increase adherence to the Three W's: wear a mask watch your distance and wash your hands (or use sanitizer). Where restrictions have been loosened track early-warning triggers and activate strategic closures to prevent an explosive spread.Second box the virus in to stop cases from becoming clusters and clusters from becoming outbreaks. Rapid testing should focus on those at greatest risk of having been exposed. The sooner people who are infectious get isolated the fewer secondary cases there will be. That means rapid testing and rapid action when tests are positive. Close contacts need to be quarantined so that if they develop infection the chain of transmission will stop with them.A safe and effective vaccine may become available in the coming months - or it may not. Yet even if it were widely administered (a big if) it wouldn't end the pandemic. Even if a vaccine that's 70 percent effective is taken by 70 percent of people - optimistic estimates - that leaves half of the population unprotected. For the foreseeable future masks will be in at least indoors and handshakes will be out.Although there's no quick fix this pandemic will end one day. In the interim there are actions individuals families and communities across the country can take to reduce risk. The sooner the virus is under control the quicker and more complete the recovery will be."";""Tom Frieden"";""Resolve to Save Lives"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"647;2020-10-19 12:00:00;59;""Pursuing ''herd immunity'' is the reckless dead-wrong solution"";""Tom Frieden"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""As the covid-19 pandemic continues in the United States and many parts of the world millions of Americans are increasingly impatient for the economy and society to regain a more normal footing. Some 'maverick scientists' with 'an audience inside the White House' as The Post reported last week argue for 'allowing the coronavirus to spread freely at 'natural' rates among healthy young people while keeping most aspects of the economy up and running.'Their aim is to achieve 'herd immunity' the concept that if enough people are immune those without immunity can be protected. Usually this refers to immunity gained from vaccination the goal of herd immunity has typically not been applied to a disease for which there is no vaccine.There is a saying that for every complicated problem a solution exists that is quick simple - and wrong. That applies here: Pursuing herd immunity is the wrong dead wrong solution for the pandemic. Discussing such a reckless approach shouldn't be necessary except that it echoes the misguided ideas of neuroradiologist Scott Atlas who in recent months has become an influential medical adviser to President Trump.Atlas The Post reported has relied on similar-minded scientists 'to bolster his in-house arguments.'Less than 15 percent of Americans have been infected by the virus that causes covid-19. If immunity among those who have been infected and survived is strong and long-lasting (and it may well be neither) and if herd immunity kicks in at 60 percent infection of the population (and it might be higher) with a fatality rate of 0.5 percent among those infected then at least another half-million Americans - in addition to the 220000 who have already died - would have to die for the country to achieve herd immunity. And that's the best-case scenario. The number of deaths to get there could be twice as high.The route to herd immunity would run through graveyards filled with Americans who did not have to die because what starts in young adults doesn't stay in young adults. 'Protecting the vulnerable' however appealing it may sound isn't plausible if the virus is allowed to freely spread among younger people. We've seen this in families communities and entire regions of the country. First come cases in young adults. Then the virus spreads to older adults and medically vulnerable people. Hospitalizations increase. And then deaths increase.The vulnerable are not just a sliver of society. The 65-and-over population of the United States in 2018 was 52 million. As many as 60 percent of adults have a medical condition that increases their risk of death from covid-19 - with many unaware of their condition which can include undiagnosed kidney disease diabetes or cancer. The plain truth is that we cannot protect the vulnerable without protecting all of us.A one-two punch is needed to knock out the virus - a combination approach just as multiple drugs are used to treat infections such as HIV and tuberculosis. That in turn will allow the accelerated resumption of economic and social activity.First knock down the spread of the virus. The best way to do this is - as the country has been trying to do with uneven success - to reduce close contact with others especially in crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation. Increase adherence to the Three W's: wear a mask watch your distance and wash your hands (or use sanitizer). Where restrictions have been loosened track early-warning triggers and activate strategic closures to prevent an explosive spread.Second box the virus in to stop cases from becoming clusters and clusters from becoming outbreaks. Rapid testing should focus on those at greatest risk of having been exposed. The sooner people who are infectious get isolated the fewer secondary cases there will be. That means rapid testing and rapid action when tests are positive. Close contacts need to be quarantined so that if they develop infection the chain of transmission will stop with them.A safe and effective vaccine may become available in the coming months - or it may not. Yet even if it were widely administered (a big if) it wouldn't end the pandemic. Even if a vaccine that's 70 percent effective is taken by 70 percent of people - optimistic estimates - that leaves half of the population unprotected. For the foreseeable future masks will be in at least indoors and handshakes will be out.Although there's no quick fix this pandemic will end one day. In the interim there are actions individuals families and communities across the country can take to reduce risk. The sooner the virus is under control the quicker and more complete the recovery will be."";""Tom Frieden"";""Resolve to Save Lives"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"648;2020-10-19 12:00:00;59;""Pursuing ''herd immunity'' is the reckless dead-wrong solution"";""Tom Frieden"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""As the covid-19 pandemic continues in the United States and many parts of the world millions of Americans are increasingly impatient for the economy and society to regain a more normal footing. Some 'maverick scientists' with 'an audience inside the White House' as The Post reported last week argue for 'allowing the coronavirus to spread freely at 'natural' rates among healthy young people while keeping most aspects of the economy up and running.'Their aim is to achieve 'herd immunity' the concept that if enough people are immune those without immunity can be protected. Usually this refers to immunity gained from vaccination the goal of herd immunity has typically not been applied to a disease for which there is no vaccine.There is a saying that for every complicated problem a solution exists that is quick simple - and wrong. That applies here: Pursuing herd immunity is the wrong dead wrong solution for the pandemic. Discussing such a reckless approach shouldn't be necessary except that it echoes the misguided ideas of neuroradiologist Scott Atlas who in recent months has become an influential medical adviser to President Trump.Atlas The Post reported has relied on similar-minded scientists 'to bolster his in-house arguments.'Less than 15 percent of Americans have been infected by the virus that causes covid-19. If immunity among those who have been infected and survived is strong and long-lasting (and it may well be neither) and if herd immunity kicks in at 60 percent infection of the population (and it might be higher) with a fatality rate of 0.5 percent among those infected then at least another half-million Americans - in addition to the 220000 who have already died - would have to die for the country to achieve herd immunity. And that's the best-case scenario. The number of deaths to get there could be twice as high.The route to herd immunity would run through graveyards filled with Americans who did not have to die because what starts in young adults doesn't stay in young adults. 'Protecting the vulnerable' however appealing it may sound isn't plausible if the virus is allowed to freely spread among younger people. We've seen this in families communities and entire regions of the country. First come cases in young adults. Then the virus spreads to older adults and medically vulnerable people. Hospitalizations increase. And then deaths increase.The vulnerable are not just a sliver of society. The 65-and-over population of the United States in 2018 was 52 million. As many as 60 percent of adults have a medical condition that increases their risk of death from covid-19 - with many unaware of their condition which can include undiagnosed kidney disease diabetes or cancer. The plain truth is that we cannot protect the vulnerable without protecting all of us.A one-two punch is needed to knock out the virus - a combination approach just as multiple drugs are used to treat infections such as HIV and tuberculosis. That in turn will allow the accelerated resumption of economic and social activity.First knock down the spread of the virus. The best way to do this is - as the country has been trying to do with uneven success - to reduce close contact with others especially in crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation. Increase adherence to the Three W's: wear a mask watch your distance and wash your hands (or use sanitizer). Where restrictions have been loosened track early-warning triggers and activate strategic closures to prevent an explosive spread.Second box the virus in to stop cases from becoming clusters and clusters from becoming outbreaks. Rapid testing should focus on those at greatest risk of having been exposed. The sooner people who are infectious get isolated the fewer secondary cases there will be. That means rapid testing and rapid action when tests are positive. Close contacts need to be quarantined so that if they develop infection the chain of transmission will stop with them.A safe and effective vaccine may become available in the coming months - or it may not. Yet even if it were widely administered (a big if) it wouldn't end the pandemic. Even if a vaccine that's 70 percent effective is taken by 70 percent of people - optimistic estimates - that leaves half of the population unprotected. For the foreseeable future masks will be in at least indoors and handshakes will be out.Although there's no quick fix this pandemic will end one day. In the interim there are actions individuals families and communities across the country can take to reduce risk. The sooner the virus is under control the quicker and more complete the recovery will be."";""Tom Frieden"";""Resolve to Save Lives"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"145;2020-10-20 12:00:00;46;""John M. Barry: Herd immunity? Or mass murder?"";""John M Barry"";""The Salt Lake Tribune"";"""";"""";""They would do this by allowing those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally.� This they say will allow people to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk. We call this Focused Protection.�"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"146;2020-10-20 12:00:00;46;""John M. Barry: Herd immunity? Or mass murder?"";""John M Barry"";""The Salt Lake Tribune"";"""";"""";""They would do this by allowing those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally.� This they say will allow people to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk. We call this Focused Protection.�"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"149;2020-10-20 12:00:00;46;""John M. Barry: Herd immunity? Or mass murder?"";""John M Barry"";""The Salt Lake Tribune"";"""";"""";""It becomes less seductive when one examines three enormously important omissions in the declaration.First it makes no mention of harm to infected people in low-risk groups yet many people recover very slowly. More serious a significant number including those with no symptoms suffer damage to their heart and lungs. One recent study of 100 recovered adults found that 78 of them showed signs of heart damage. We have no idea whether this damage will cut years from their lives or affect their quality of life.Second it says little about how to protect the vulnerable. One can keep a child from visiting a grandparent in another city easily enough but what happens when the child and grandparent live in the same household? And how do you protect a 25-year-old diabetic or cancer survivor or obese person or anyone else with a comorbidity who needs to go to work every day? Upon closer examination the focused protection� that the declaration urges devolves into a kind of three-card monte one cant pin it down.Third the declaration omits mention of how many people the policy would kill. Its a lot.The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington whose modeling of the pandemic the White House has used predicts up to about415000 deaths by Feb. 1 even with current restrictions continuing. If these restrictions are simply eased � as opposed to eliminating them entirely which would occur if herd immunity were pursued � deaths could rise to as many as 571527. Thats just by Feb. 1. The model predicts daily deaths will still be increasing then.Will we have achieved herd immunity then? No.Herd immunity occurs when enough people have immunity either through natural infection or a vaccine so the outbreak eventually dies out. By Feb. 1 even with eased mandates only 25 percent of the population will have been infected by my calculations. The most optimistic model suggests herd immunity might occur when 43 percent of the population has been infected but many estimate 60 percent to 70 percent before transmission trends definitively down.Those are models. Actual data from prison populations and from Latin America suggest transmission does not slow down until 60 percent of the population is infected. (At present only about 10 percent of the population has been infected according to the CDC.)And what will be the cost? Even if herd immunity can be achieved with only 40 percent of the population infected or vaccinated the I.H.M.E. estimates that a total of 800000 Americans would die. The real death toll needed to reach herd immunity could far exceed one million.As horrific a price as that is it could prove much worse if damage to the heart lungs or other organs of those who recover from the immediate effects of the virus does not heal and instead leads to early deaths or incapacitation. But we wont know that for years.Some aftereffects of the 1918 influenza pandemic did not surface until the 1920s or later. For instance children born during its peak in 1919 had worse health outcomes as they grew older compared with others born around that time. There is speculation that the influenza caused a disease called encephalitis lethargica which became almost epidemic in the 1920s and then later disappeared and which affected patients in Oliver Sackss book Awakenings.� Both the 1918 pandemic and other viruses have been linked to Parkinsons disease. Proponents of herd immunity point to Sweden. Swedish officials deny having actively pursued that strategy but they never shut down their economy or closed most schools and they still havent recommended masks. Its neighbors Denmark and Norway did. Swedens death rate per 100000 people is five times Denmarks and 11 times Norways. Did the deaths buy economic prosperity? No. Swedens GDP fell 8.3 percent in the second quarter compared with Denmarks 6.8 percent and Norways 5.1 percent.Finally the Great Barrington Declaration aims at a straw man opposing the kind of large general lockdown that began in March. No one is proposing that now.Is there an alternative? There was once a simple one which the vast majority of public health experts urged for months: social distancing avoiding crowds wearing masks washing hands and a robust contact tracing system with support for those who are asked to self-quarantine and for selected closures when and where necessary.Some states listened to the advice and have done well just as many schools listened and have reopened without seeing a surge. But the Trump administration and too many governors never got behind these measures reopened too many states too soon and still havent straightened out testing.Worse the White House has all but embraced herd immunity and has also poisoned the public with misinformation making it all but impossible to get national near- universal compliance with public health advice for the foreseeable future.As a result the United States is not in a good place and achieving near containment of the virus � as South Korea (441 deaths) Australia (904 deaths) Japan (1657 deaths) and several other countries have done � is impossible. We can however still aim for results akin to those of Canada where there were 23 deaths on Friday and Germany which suffered 24 deaths on Friday.Getting to that point will require finally following the advice that has been given for months. That will not happen with this White House especially since it is now all but openly advocating herd immunity but states cities and people can act for themselves.Nothing including monoclonal antibodies rapid antigen testing or even a vaccine will provide a silver bullet. But everything will help. And hundreds of thousands of Americans will keep living who would otherwise have died under a policy of herd immunity."";""John M Barry"";""Tulane University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"147;2020-10-20 12:00:00;46;""John M. Barry: Herd immunity? Or mass murder?"";""John M Barry"";""The Salt Lake Tribune"";"""";"""";""First it makes no mention of harm to infected people in low-risk groups yet many people recover very slowly. More serious a significant number including those with no symptoms suffer damage to their heart and lungs. One recent study of 100 recovered adults found that 78 of them showed signs of heart damage. We have no idea whether this damage will cut years from their lives or affect their quality of life."";""John M Barry"";""Tulane University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"148;2020-10-20 12:00:00;46;""John M. Barry: Herd immunity? Or mass murder?"";""John M Barry"";""The Salt Lake Tribune"";"""";"""";""Second it says little about how to protect the vulnerable. One can keep a child from visiting a grandparent in another city easily enough but what happens when the child and grandparent live in the same household? And how do you protect a 25-year-old diabetic or cancer survivor or obese person or anyone else with a comorbidity who needs to go to work every day? Upon closer examination the focused protection� that the declaration urges devolves into a kind of three-card monte one cant pin it down.Third the declaration omits mention of how many people the policy would kill. Its a lot."";""John M Barry"";""Tulane University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"604;2020-10-20 12:00:00;47;""Scores of Mass. scientists doctors sign open letter against herd immunity proposal"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""The overwhelming number of public health folks and health care folks would never say they believe in herd immunity through infection� said Dr. Nahid Bhadelia an infectious disease physician at Boston Medical Center and an associate professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine.Bhadelia also one of the original authors of the letter said proponents of the strategy in an abnegation of responsibility� want to let it rip but have no plan for when health systems get overwhelmed.�"";""Nahid Bhadelia"";""Boston University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"605;2020-10-20 12:00:00;47;""Scores of Mass. scientists doctors sign open letter against herd immunity proposal"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""The overwhelming number of public health folks and health care folks would never say they believe in herd immunity through infection� said Dr. Nahid Bhadelia an infectious disease physician at Boston Medical Center and an associate professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine.Bhadelia also one of the original authors of the letter said proponents of the strategy in an abnegation of responsibility� want to let it rip but have no plan for when health systems get overwhelmed.�"";""Nahid Bhadelia"";""Boston University"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"588;2020-10-20 12:00:00;47;""Scores of Mass. scientists doctors sign open letter against herd immunity proposal"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""The herd immunity approach could lead to significant� illness and death across the entire population the letter says. (Some experts have estimated it could lead to more than 1 million deaths in the United States.)"";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"589;2020-10-20 12:00:00;47;""Scores of Mass. scientists doctors sign open letter against herd immunity proposal"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""The herd immunity approach could lead to significant� illness and death across the entire population the letter says. (Some experts have estimated it could lead to more than 1 million deaths in the United States.)"";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"590;2020-10-20 12:00:00;47;""Scores of Mass. scientists doctors sign open letter against herd immunity proposal"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""Hanage said the herd immunity idea may be what people weary of coronavirus restrictions want to hear but it's unfortunately not possible.�It offers the idea that we can just go back to normal and it doesn't say anything about how we're going to do the most important part of it� protecting the vulnerable he said.If a virus is going to be allowed to spread that can kill people's grandparents he said You ought to give some indication of how you're going to stop the grandparents being infected.�He also said the proposal was incredibly casual about large numbers of young people becoming infected� when studies indicate there are long-term effects on younger people including a high rate of heart muscle damage.''It's disgraceful' he said. Suggesting that this is something that should just be allowed to happen is against all public health principles.�"";""William Hanage"";""Harvard University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"591;2020-10-20 12:00:00;47;""Scores of Mass. scientists doctors sign open letter against herd immunity proposal"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""Hanage said the herd immunity idea may be what people weary of coronavirus restrictions want to hear but it's unfortunately not possible.�It offers the idea that we can just go back to normal and it doesn't say anything about how we're going to do the most important part of it� protecting the vulnerable he said.If a virus is going to be allowed to spread that can kill people's grandparents he said You ought to give some indication of how you're going to stop the grandparents being infected.�He also said the proposal was incredibly casual about large numbers of young people becoming infected� when studies indicate there are long-term effects on younger people including a high rate of heart muscle damage.''It's disgraceful' he said. Suggesting that this is something that should just be allowed to happen is against all public health principles.�"";""William Hanage"";""Harvard University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"592;2020-10-20 12:00:00;47;""Scores of Mass. scientists doctors sign open letter against herd immunity proposal"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""Hanage said the herd immunity idea may be what people weary of coronavirus restrictions want to hear but it's unfortunately not possible.�It offers the idea that we can just go back to normal and it doesn't say anything about how we're going to do the most important part of it� protecting the vulnerable he said.If a virus is going to be allowed to spread that can kill people's grandparents he said You ought to give some indication of how you're going to stop the grandparents being infected.�He also said the proposal was incredibly casual about large numbers of young people becoming infected� when studies indicate there are long-term effects on younger people including a high rate of heart muscle damage.''It's disgraceful' he said. Suggesting that this is something that should just be allowed to happen is against all public health principles.�"";""William Hanage"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"593;2020-10-20 12:00:00;47;""Scores of Mass. scientists doctors sign open letter against herd immunity proposal"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""Dr. Abraar Karan an internal medicine physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital said that for multiple reasons the Great Barrington Declaration is not a smartdeclaration. It's not the response that we need right now.''Inflammation in the heart brain fog lung scarring ongoing fatigue �these are all symptoms that you can see in patients of all different kinds of ages and we're still trying to understand these effects� he said.                                                                                         If hundreds of thousands or millions more people are allowed to get sick you will see many more of these effects' he said. He also said They're proposing something that's completely hypothetical. It's not pragmatic and they have no way to actually implement this.'"";""Abraar Karan"";""Brigham and Women's Hospital"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"594;2020-10-20 12:00:00;47;""Scores of Mass. scientists doctors sign open letter against herd immunity proposal"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""Dr. Abraar Karan an internal medicine physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital said that for multiple reasons the Great Barrington Declaration is not a smartdeclaration. It's not the response that we need right now.''Inflammation in the heart brain fog lung scarring ongoing fatigue �these are all symptoms that you can see in patients of all different kinds of ages and we're still trying to understand these effects� he said.                                                                                         If hundreds of thousands or millions more people are allowed to get sick you will see many more of these effects' he said. He also said They're proposing something that's completely hypothetical. It's not pragmatic and they have no way to actually implement this.'"";""Abraar Karan"";""Brigham and Women's Hospital"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"595;2020-10-20 12:00:00;47;""Scores of Mass. scientists doctors sign open letter against herd immunity proposal"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""Dr. Abraar Karan an internal medicine physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital said that for multiple reasons the Great Barrington Declaration is not a smartdeclaration. It's not the response that we need right now.''Inflammation in the heart brain fog lung scarring ongoing fatigue �these are all symptoms that you can see in patients of all different kinds of ages and we're still trying to understand these effects� he said.                                                                                         If hundreds of thousands or millions more people are allowed to get sick you will see many more of these effects' he said. He also said They're proposing something that's completely hypothetical. It's not pragmatic and they have no way to actually implement this.'"";""Abraar Karan"";""Brigham and Women's Hospital"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"596;2020-10-20 12:00:00;47;""Scores of Mass. scientists doctors sign open letter against herd immunity proposal"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""Herd immunity is not a plan and the Great Barrington Declaration is at best wishful thinking.� Infection-acquired herd immunity represents a failure to control the pandemic and will lead to a large loss of life. It is almost certainly not possible to keep vulnerablepeople from being infected while infection spreads within the rest of the population� she said in an e-mail.Furthermore we don't even understand the full spectrum of vulnerability to COVID � many otherwise healthy people are suffering serious long-term consequences of what initially seemed to be mild infection� she said."";""Ellie Murray"";""Boston University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"597;2020-10-20 12:00:00;47;""Scores of Mass. scientists doctors sign open letter against herd immunity proposal"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""Herd immunity is not a plan and the Great Barrington Declaration is at best wishful thinking.� Infection-acquired herd immunity represents a failure to control the pandemic and will lead to a large loss of life. It is almost certainly not possible to keep vulnerablepeople from being infected while infection spreads within the rest of the population� she said in an e-mail.Furthermore we don't even understand the full spectrum of vulnerability to COVID � many otherwise healthy people are suffering serious long-term consequences of what initially seemed to be mild infection� she said."";""Ellie Murray"";""Boston University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"598;2020-10-20 12:00:00;47;""Scores of Mass. scientists doctors sign open letter against herd immunity proposal"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""Herd immunity is not a plan and the Great Barrington Declaration is at best wishful thinking.� Infection-acquired herd immunity represents a failure to control the pandemic and will lead to a large loss of life. It is almost certainly not possible to keep vulnerablepeople from being infected while infection spreads within the rest of the population� she said in an e-mail.Furthermore we don't even understand the full spectrum of vulnerability to COVID � many otherwise healthy people are suffering serious long-term consequences of what initially seemed to be mild infection� she said."";""Ellie Murray"";""Boston University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"599;2020-10-20 12:00:00;47;""Scores of Mass. scientists doctors sign open letter against herd immunity proposal"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""Bhadelia said a projection of a possible million deaths from the proposal was probably pretty accurate.�It's a lot of people and death is not the only outcome. Before we get to the death number the hospitalization numbers will overwhelm us� she said.She said that the proposal has been described as an anti-lockdown proposal. But without a plan to protect the vulnerable or to treat the number of people who will get seriously ill she said I actually see that as a declaration that's rushing us toward lockdown.�"";""Nahid Bhadelia"";""Boston University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"600;2020-10-20 12:00:00;47;""Scores of Mass. scientists doctors sign open letter against herd immunity proposal"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""Bhadelia said a projection of a possible million deaths from the proposal was probably pretty accurate.�It's a lot of people and death is not the only outcome. Before we get to the death number the hospitalization numbers will overwhelm us� she said.She said that the proposal has been described as an anti-lockdown proposal. But without a plan to protect the vulnerable or to treat the number of people who will get seriously ill she said I actually see that as a declaration that's rushing us toward lockdown.�"";""Nahid Bhadelia"";""Boston University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"601;2020-10-20 12:00:00;47;""Scores of Mass. scientists doctors sign open letter against herd immunity proposal"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""Bhadelia said a projection of a possible million deaths from the proposal was probably pretty accurate.�It's a lot of people and death is not the only outcome. Before we get to the death number the hospitalization numbers will overwhelm us� she said.She said that the proposal has been described as an anti-lockdown proposal. But without a plan to protect the vulnerable or to treat the number of people who will get seriously ill she said I actually see that as a declaration that's rushing us toward lockdown.�"";""Nahid Bhadelia"";""Boston University"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"602;2020-10-20 12:00:00;47;""Scores of Mass. scientists doctors sign open letter against herd immunity proposal"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""Bhadelia said a projection of a possible million deaths from the proposal was probably pretty accurate.�It's a lot of people and death is not the only outcome. Before we get to the death number the hospitalization numbers will overwhelm us� she said.She said that the proposal has been described as an anti-lockdown proposal. But without a plan to protect the vulnerable or to treat the number of people who will get seriously ill she said I actually see that as a declaration that's rushing us toward lockdown.�"";""Nahid Bhadelia"";""Boston University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"603;2020-10-20 12:00:00;47;""Scores of Mass. scientists doctors sign open letter against herd immunity proposal"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""Dr. Ashish Jha dean of the Brown University School of Public Health said last week in a tweet that the Great Barrington Declaration was junk science. And like junk food tastes great but zero nutritional value.�                                   "";""Ashish Jha"";""Brown University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"150;2020-10-20 12:00:00;48;""The path to ''''herd immunity'''' would be lined with half a million dead Americans"";""Tom Frieden"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""There is a saying that for every complicated problem a solution exists that is quick simple � and wrong. That applies here: Pursuing herd immunity is the wrong dead wrong solution for the pandemic. Discussing such a reckless approach shouldn't be necessary except that it echoes the misguided ideas of neuroradiologist Scott Atlas who in recent months has become an influential medical adviser to President Trump."";""Tom Frieden"";""Resolve to Save Lives"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"152;2020-10-20 12:00:00;48;""The path to ''''herd immunity'''' would be lined with half a million dead Americans"";""Tom Frieden"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""The route to herd immunity would run through graveyards filled with Americans who did not have to die because what starts in young adults doesn't stay in young adults. 'Protecting the vulnerable' however appealing it may sound isn't plausible if the virus is allowed to freely spread among younger people."";""Tom Frieden"";""Resolve to Save Lives"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"153;2020-10-20 12:00:00;48;""The path to ''''herd immunity'''' would be lined with half a million dead Americans"";""Tom Frieden"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""The route to herd immunity would run through graveyards filled with Americans who did not have to die because what starts in young adults doesn't stay in young adults. 'Protecting the vulnerable' however appealing it may sound isn't plausible if the virus is allowed to freely spread among younger people."";""Tom Frieden"";""Resolve to Save Lives"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"151;2020-10-20 12:00:00;49;""''Herd Immunity'' Proposal Draws Ire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""But it does not offer details on how the strategy would work in practice. Dr. Anthony Fauci the government's top infectious disease expert has dismissed thedeclaration as unscientific dangerous and ''total nonsense.''"";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"154;2020-10-20 12:00:00;49;""''Herd Immunity'' Proposal Draws Ire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""''I think it's wrong I think it's unsafe I think it invites people to act in ways that have the potential to do an enormous amount of harm'' said Dr. Rochelle Walensky an infectious disease expert at Harvard University and one of the signatories to the Snow memo. ''You don't roll out disease -- you roll out vaccination.''"";""Rochelle Walensky"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"413;2020-10-20 12:00:00;49;""''Herd Immunity'' Proposal Draws Ire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""''I think it's wrong I think it's unsafe I think it invites people to act in ways that have the potential to do an enormous amount of harm'' said Dr. Rochelle Walensky an infectious disease expert at Harvard University and one of the signatories to the Snow memo. ''You don't roll out disease -- you roll out vaccination.''"";""Rochelle Walensky"";""Harvard University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"156;2020-10-20 12:00:00;49;""''Herd Immunity'' Proposal Draws Ire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""''People who are more at risk may participate if they wish while society as a whole enjoys the protection conferred upon the vulnerable by those who have built up herd immunity'' the declaration said."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"157;2020-10-20 12:00:00;49;""''Herd Immunity'' Proposal Draws Ire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""''People who are more at risk may participate if they wish while society as a whole enjoys the protection conferred upon the vulnerable by those who have built up herd immunity'' the declaration said."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"155;2020-10-20 12:00:00;49;""''Herd Immunity'' Proposal Draws Ire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""'It's amazingly irresponsible'' not to take these risks into account Dr. Nabarro said."";""David Nabarro"";""World Health Organization"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"158;2020-10-20 12:00:00;49;""''Herd Immunity'' Proposal Draws Ire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""'It's amazingly irresponsible'' not to take these risks into account Dr. Nabarro said."";""David Nabarro"";""World Health Organization"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"159;2020-10-20 12:00:00;49;""''Herd Immunity'' Proposal Draws Ire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""'It's amazingly irresponsible'' not to take these risks into account Dr. Nabarro said."";""David Nabarro"";""World Health Organization"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"160;2020-10-20 12:00:00;49;""''Herd Immunity'' Proposal Draws Ire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""The declaration's strategy is both unethical and fails to account for human behavior said Ruth Faden a bioethicist at Johns Hopkins University.Many high-risk groups -- people who live in multigenerational families or in crowded living situations or who have diabetes and obesity -- are disproportionately found in poor communities she said. The declaration's strategy would require them to move away from their families or to risk having younger family members bring the virus home.''Are we going to compel these people to leave? And if we're not going to compel them to leave then how's this supposed to go?'' she said. ''Then you are going to see the deaths that you say we're not going to see.''"";""Ruth Faden"";""John Hopkins University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"161;2020-10-20 12:00:00;49;""''Herd Immunity'' Proposal Draws Ire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""The declaration's strategy is both unethical and fails to account for human behavior said Ruth Faden a bioethicist at Johns Hopkins University.Many high-risk groups -- people who live in multigenerational families or in crowded living situations or who have diabetes and obesity -- are disproportionately found in poor communities she said. The declaration's strategy would require them to move away from their families or to risk having younger family members bring the virus home.''Are we going to compel these people to leave? And if we're not going to compel them to leave then how's this supposed to go?'' she said. ''Then you are going to see the deaths that you say we're not going to see.''"";""Ruth Faden"";""John Hopkins University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"162;2020-10-20 12:00:00;49;""''Herd Immunity'' Proposal Draws Ire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""The declaration's strategy is both unethical and fails to account for human behavior said Ruth Faden a bioethicist at Johns Hopkins University.Many high-risk groups -- people who live in multigenerational families or in crowded living situations or who have diabetes and obesity -- are disproportionately found in poor communities she said. The declaration's strategy would require them to move away from their families or to risk having younger family members bring the virus home.''Are we going to compel these people to leave? And if we're not going to compel them to leave then how's this supposed to go?'' she said. ''Then you are going to see the deaths that you say we're not going to see.''"";""Ruth Faden"";""John Hopkins University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"163;2020-10-20 12:00:00;49;""''Herd Immunity'' Proposal Draws Ire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""''I don't know exactly how it would work'' said Gabriela Gomes a mathematical modeler at the University of Strathclyde in Britain and one of 42 co-signers."";""Gabriela Gomes"";""University of Strathclyde"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"164;2020-10-20 12:00:00;49;""''Herd Immunity'' Proposal Draws Ire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""Another supporter Paul McKeigue a genetic epidemiologist at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland said ''Specific control measures for preventing coronavirustransmission are not my area of expertise.''"";""Paul McKeigue"";""University of Edinburgh"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"414;2020-10-20 12:00:00;49;""''Herd Immunity'' Proposal Draws Ire From Scientists"";""Apoorva Mandavilli Sheryl Gay Stolberg"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""Another supporter Paul McKeigue a genetic epidemiologist at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland said ''Specific control measures for preventing coronavirustransmission are not my area of expertise.''"";""Paul McKeigue"";""University of Edinburgh"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"606;2020-10-20 12:00:00;50;""The Steep Costs of ''''Herd Immunity''''"";""John M Barry"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""They would do this by allowing ''those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally.'' This they say will allow people ''to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk. We call this Focused Protection.''"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"607;2020-10-20 12:00:00;50;""The Steep Costs of ''''Herd Immunity''''"";""John M Barry"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""They would do this by allowing ''those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally.'' This they say will allow people ''to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk. We call this Focused Protection.''"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"608;2020-10-20 12:00:00;50;""The Steep Costs of ''''Herd Immunity''''"";""John M Barry"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""They would do this by allowing ''those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally.'' This they say will allow people ''to build up immunity to the virus through natural infection while better protecting those who are at highest risk. We call this Focused Protection.''"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"609;2020-10-20 12:00:00;50;""The Steep Costs of ''''Herd Immunity''''"";""John M Barry"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""''mass murder'' as William Haseltine a former Harvard Medical School professor who now heads a global health foundation put it to CNN last week."";""William Haseltine"";"""";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"610;2020-10-20 12:00:00;50;""The Steep Costs of ''''Herd Immunity''''"";""John M Barry"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""''mass murder'' as William Haseltine a former Harvard Medical School professor who now heads a global health foundation put it to CNN last week."";""William Haseltine"";"""";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"611;2020-10-20 12:00:00;50;""The Steep Costs of ''''Herd Immunity''''"";""John M Barry"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""First it makes no mention of harm to infected people in low-risk groups yet many people recover very slowly. More serious a significant number including those with no symptoms suffer damage to their heart and lungs. One recent study of 100 recovered adults found that 78 of them showed signs of heart damage. We have no idea whether this damage will cut years from their lives or affect their quality of life.Second it says little about how to protect the vulnerable. One can keep a child from visiting a grandparent in another city easily enough but what happens when the child and grandparent live in the same household? And how do you protect a 25-year-old diabetic or cancer survivor or obese person or anyone else with a comorbidity who needs to go to work every day? Upon closer examination the ''focused protection'' that the declaration urges devolves into a kind of three-card monte one can't pin it down.Third the declaration omits mention of how many people the policy would kill. It's a lot.The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington whose modeling of the pandemic the White House has used predicts up to about415000 deaths by Feb. 1 even with current restrictions continuing. If these restrictions are simply eased -- as opposed to eliminating them entirely which would occur if herd immunity were pursued -- deaths could rise to as many as 571527. That's just by Feb. 1. The model predicts daily deaths will still be increasing then.Will we have achieved herd immunity then? No.Herd immunity occurs when enough people have immunity either through natural infection or a vaccine so the outbreak eventually dies out. By Feb. 1 even with eased mandates only 25 percent of the population will have been infected by my calculations. The most optimistic model suggests herd immunity might occur when 43 percent of the population has been infected but many estimate 60 percent to 70 percent before transmission trends definitively down.Those are models. Actual data from prison populations and from Latin America suggest transmission does not slow down until 60 percent of the population is infected. (At present only about 10 percent of the population has been infected according to the C.D.C.)And what will be the cost? Even if herd immunity can be achieved with only 40 percent of the population infected or vaccinated the I.H.M.E. estimates that a total of 800000 Americans would die. The real death toll needed to reach herd immunity could far exceed one million.As horrific a price as that is it could prove much worse if damage to the heart lungs or other organs of those who recover from the immediate effects of the virus does not heal and instead leads to early deaths or incapacitation. But we won't know that for years.Some aftereffects of the 1918 influenza pandemic did not surface until the 1920s or later. For instance children born during its peak in 1919 had worse health outcomes as they grew older compared with others born around that time. There is speculation that the influenza caused a disease called encephalitis lethargica which became almost epidemic in the 1920s and then later disappeared and which affected patients in Oliver Sacks's book ''Awakenings.'' Both the 1918 pandemic and other viruses have been linked to Parkinson's disease.Proponents of herd immunity point to Sweden. Swedish officials deny having actively pursued that strategy but they never shut down their economy or closed most schools and they still haven't recommended masks. Its neighbors Denmark and Norway did. Sweden's death rate per 100000 people is five times Denmark's and 11 times Norway's. Did the deaths buy economic prosperity? No. Sweden's G.D.P. fell 8.3 percent in the second quarter compared with Denmark's 6.8 percent and Norway's 5.1 percent.Finally the Great Barrington Declaration aims at a straw man opposing the kind of large general lockdown that began in March. No one is proposing that now.Is there an alternative? There was once a simple one which the vast majority of public health experts urged for months: social distancing avoiding crowds wearing masks washing hands and a robust contact tracing system with support for those who are asked to self-quarantine and for selected closures when and where necessary.Some states listened to the advice and have done well just as many schools listened and have reopened without seeing a surge. But the Trump administration and too many governors never got behind these measures reopened too many states too soon and still haven't straightened out testing.Worse the White House has all but embraced herd immunity and has also poisoned the public with misinformation making it all but impossible to get national near- universal compliance with public health advice for the foreseeable future.As a result the United States is not in a good place and achieving near containment of the virus -- as South Korea (441 deaths) Australia (904 deaths) Japan (1657 deaths) and several other countries have done -- is impossible. We can however still aim for results akin to those of Canada where there were 23 deaths on Friday and Germany which suffered 24 deaths on Friday.Getting to that point will require finally following the advice that has been given for months. That will not happen with this White House especially since it is now all but openly advocating herd immunity but states cities and people can act for themselves.Nothing including monoclonal antibodies rapid antigen testing or even a vaccine will provide a silver bullet. But everything will help. And hundreds of thousands of Americans will keep living who would otherwise have died under a policy of herd immunity."";""John M Barry"";""Tulane University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"612;2020-10-20 12:00:00;50;""The Steep Costs of ''''Herd Immunity''''"";""John M Barry"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""First it makes no mention of harm to infected people in low-risk groups yet many people recover very slowly. More serious a significant number including those with no symptoms suffer damage to their heart and lungs. One recent study of 100 recovered adults found that 78 of them showed signs of heart damage. We have no idea whether this damage will cut years from their lives or affect their quality of life.Second it says little about how to protect the vulnerable. One can keep a child from visiting a grandparent in another city easily enough but what happens when the child and grandparent live in the same household? And how do you protect a 25-year-old diabetic or cancer survivor or obese person or anyone else with a comorbidity who needs to go to work every day? Upon closer examination the ''focused protection'' that the declaration urges devolves into a kind of three-card monte one can't pin it down.Third the declaration omits mention of how many people the policy would kill. It's a lot.The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington whose modeling of the pandemic the White House has used predicts up to about415000 deaths by Feb. 1 even with current restrictions continuing. If these restrictions are simply eased -- as opposed to eliminating them entirely which would occur if herd immunity were pursued -- deaths could rise to as many as 571527. That's just by Feb. 1. The model predicts daily deaths will still be increasing then.Will we have achieved herd immunity then? No.Herd immunity occurs when enough people have immunity either through natural infection or a vaccine so the outbreak eventually dies out. By Feb. 1 even with eased mandates only 25 percent of the population will have been infected by my calculations. The most optimistic model suggests herd immunity might occur when 43 percent of the population has been infected but many estimate 60 percent to 70 percent before transmission trends definitively down.Those are models. Actual data from prison populations and from Latin America suggest transmission does not slow down until 60 percent of the population is infected. (At present only about 10 percent of the population has been infected according to the C.D.C.)And what will be the cost? Even if herd immunity can be achieved with only 40 percent of the population infected or vaccinated the I.H.M.E. estimates that a total of 800000 Americans would die. The real death toll needed to reach herd immunity could far exceed one million.As horrific a price as that is it could prove much worse if damage to the heart lungs or other organs of those who recover from the immediate effects of the virus does not heal and instead leads to early deaths or incapacitation. But we won't know that for years.Some aftereffects of the 1918 influenza pandemic did not surface until the 1920s or later. For instance children born during its peak in 1919 had worse health outcomes as they grew older compared with others born around that time. There is speculation that the influenza caused a disease called encephalitis lethargica which became almost epidemic in the 1920s and then later disappeared and which affected patients in Oliver Sacks's book ''Awakenings.'' Both the 1918 pandemic and other viruses have been linked to Parkinson's disease.Proponents of herd immunity point to Sweden. Swedish officials deny having actively pursued that strategy but they never shut down their economy or closed most schools and they still haven't recommended masks. Its neighbors Denmark and Norway did. Sweden's death rate per 100000 people is five times Denmark's and 11 times Norway's. Did the deaths buy economic prosperity? No. Sweden's G.D.P. fell 8.3 percent in the second quarter compared with Denmark's 6.8 percent and Norway's 5.1 percent.Finally the Great Barrington Declaration aims at a straw man opposing the kind of large general lockdown that began in March. No one is proposing that now.Is there an alternative? There was once a simple one which the vast majority of public health experts urged for months: social distancing avoiding crowds wearing masks washing hands and a robust contact tracing system with support for those who are asked to self-quarantine and for selected closures when and where necessary.Some states listened to the advice and have done well just as many schools listened and have reopened without seeing a surge. But the Trump administration and too many governors never got behind these measures reopened too many states too soon and still haven't straightened out testing.Worse the White House has all but embraced herd immunity and has also poisoned the public with misinformation making it all but impossible to get national near- universal compliance with public health advice for the foreseeable future.As a result the United States is not in a good place and achieving near containment of the virus -- as South Korea (441 deaths) Australia (904 deaths) Japan (1657 deaths) and several other countries have done -- is impossible. We can however still aim for results akin to those of Canada where there were 23 deaths on Friday and Germany which suffered 24 deaths on Friday.Getting to that point will require finally following the advice that has been given for months. That will not happen with this White House especially since it is now all but openly advocating herd immunity but states cities and people can act for themselves.Nothing including monoclonal antibodies rapid antigen testing or even a vaccine will provide a silver bullet. But everything will help. And hundreds of thousands of Americans will keep living who would otherwise have died under a policy of herd immunity."";""John M Barry"";""Tulane University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"613;2020-10-20 12:00:00;50;""The Steep Costs of ''''Herd Immunity''''"";""John M Barry"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""First it makes no mention of harm to infected people in low-risk groups yet many people recover very slowly. More serious a significant number including those with no symptoms suffer damage to their heart and lungs. One recent study of 100 recovered adults found that 78 of them showed signs of heart damage. We have no idea whether this damage will cut years from their lives or affect their quality of life.Second it says little about how to protect the vulnerable. One can keep a child from visiting a grandparent in another city easily enough but what happens when the child and grandparent live in the same household? And how do you protect a 25-year-old diabetic or cancer survivor or obese person or anyone else with a comorbidity who needs to go to work every day? Upon closer examination the ''focused protection'' that the declaration urges devolves into a kind of three-card monte one can't pin it down.Third the declaration omits mention of how many people the policy would kill. It's a lot.The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington whose modeling of the pandemic the White House has used predicts up to about415000 deaths by Feb. 1 even with current restrictions continuing. If these restrictions are simply eased -- as opposed to eliminating them entirely which would occur if herd immunity were pursued -- deaths could rise to as many as 571527. That's just by Feb. 1. The model predicts daily deaths will still be increasing then.Will we have achieved herd immunity then? No.Herd immunity occurs when enough people have immunity either through natural infection or a vaccine so the outbreak eventually dies out. By Feb. 1 even with eased mandates only 25 percent of the population will have been infected by my calculations. The most optimistic model suggests herd immunity might occur when 43 percent of the population has been infected but many estimate 60 percent to 70 percent before transmission trends definitively down.Those are models. Actual data from prison populations and from Latin America suggest transmission does not slow down until 60 percent of the population is infected. (At present only about 10 percent of the population has been infected according to the C.D.C.)And what will be the cost? Even if herd immunity can be achieved with only 40 percent of the population infected or vaccinated the I.H.M.E. estimates that a total of 800000 Americans would die. The real death toll needed to reach herd immunity could far exceed one million.As horrific a price as that is it could prove much worse if damage to the heart lungs or other organs of those who recover from the immediate effects of the virus does not heal and instead leads to early deaths or incapacitation. But we won't know that for years.Some aftereffects of the 1918 influenza pandemic did not surface until the 1920s or later. For instance children born during its peak in 1919 had worse health outcomes as they grew older compared with others born around that time. There is speculation that the influenza caused a disease called encephalitis lethargica which became almost epidemic in the 1920s and then later disappeared and which affected patients in Oliver Sacks's book ''Awakenings.'' Both the 1918 pandemic and other viruses have been linked to Parkinson's disease.Proponents of herd immunity point to Sweden. Swedish officials deny having actively pursued that strategy but they never shut down their economy or closed most schools and they still haven't recommended masks. Its neighbors Denmark and Norway did. Sweden's death rate per 100000 people is five times Denmark's and 11 times Norway's. Did the deaths buy economic prosperity? No. Sweden's G.D.P. fell 8.3 percent in the second quarter compared with Denmark's 6.8 percent and Norway's 5.1 percent.Finally the Great Barrington Declaration aims at a straw man opposing the kind of large general lockdown that began in March. No one is proposing that now.Is there an alternative? There was once a simple one which the vast majority of public health experts urged for months: social distancing avoiding crowds wearing masks washing hands and a robust contact tracing system with support for those who are asked to self-quarantine and for selected closures when and where necessary.Some states listened to the advice and have done well just as many schools listened and have reopened without seeing a surge. But the Trump administration and too many governors never got behind these measures reopened too many states too soon and still haven't straightened out testing.Worse the White House has all but embraced herd immunity and has also poisoned the public with misinformation making it all but impossible to get national near- universal compliance with public health advice for the foreseeable future.As a result the United States is not in a good place and achieving near containment of the virus -- as South Korea (441 deaths) Australia (904 deaths) Japan (1657 deaths) and several other countries have done -- is impossible. We can however still aim for results akin to those of Canada where there were 23 deaths on Friday and Germany which suffered 24 deaths on Friday.Getting to that point will require finally following the advice that has been given for months. That will not happen with this White House especially since it is now all but openly advocating herd immunity but states cities and people can act for themselves.Nothing including monoclonal antibodies rapid antigen testing or even a vaccine will provide a silver bullet. But everything will help. And hundreds of thousands of Americans will keep living who would otherwise have died under a policy of herd immunity."";""John M Barry"";""Tulane University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"165;2020-10-20 12:00:00;51;""Distrust lethargy worsening within virus task force"";""Yasmeen Abutaleb Philip Rucker Josh Dawsey Robert Costa"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""'We emphatically deny that the White House the President the Administration or anyone advising the President has pursued or advocated for a wide-open strategy of achieving herd immunity by letting the infection proceed through the community.'The doctor's denial conflicts with his previous public and private statements including his recent endorsement of the 'Great Barrington Declaration' which effectively promotes a herd immunity strategy."";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"134;2020-10-22 12:00:00;43;""David Op��t Hof: A �herd immunity�� strategy would kill millions"";""David Op''t"";""The Salt Lake Tribune"";"""";"""";""COVID-19 is surging all over the United States and in many parts of the world. The case count in the U.S. rises by about 50000 every day and the number of deaths rises by hundreds every day.Despite the precautions that have been suggested Dr. Anthony Fauci and other experts for over six months there is still great confusion and contention over the wearing of masks and other precautions.Another group of experts has pushed the idea of herd immunity� � that we just need to let people get the disease until our nation has enough people who have had the disease that there is no one else to spread to and the disease will just go away as President Donald Trump has predicted.I was curious as to what it would take to get to herd immunity. The numbers vary but it seems that when about 60% of Americans have had COVID-19 we could see this herd immunity happen. I did a little simple math. The population of the United States is about 329.5 million people so 60% of 329.5 million = 197.7 million. Thats how many people would have to get COVID-19 to reach that 60% herd immunity benchmark.The death rate of COVID-19 in the United States is 2.8% which I got from a chart called COVID-19 Death Rates by Country.� That is a low percentage by the way compared to the death rates of other countries one of the few numbers related to COVID-19 in which the United States is lower than other countries. If 2.8% of the people who get COVID-19 die that means 5.5 million Americans would have to die to get to herd immunity. Please work this out to see for yourself if my math makes sense.Is that an acceptable number to anybody? We just passed 200000 COVID-19 deaths a few weeks ago and nobody seemed happy about it. The flu pandemic of 1918 took about 675000 American lives and nobody was happy about that.The terrorist attacks on 9/11 took about 3000 American lives and we were so unhappy about that we went to war against terrorism and have not stopped fighting to this day. But 5.5 million deaths to end this pandemic? Almost 6 million. Thats about how many Jews were killed in the Holocaust. Are we no better than the Nazis?Yes eventually we do want to get to herd immunity like we have with polio and smallpox. But is just letting the disease spread unchecked a sensible way to get there? Obviously we would want to have vaccines help us to get there. But from what I hear many people will not take the vaccine when it is available. There is a lot of mistrust of vaccines right now especially a fast-tracked COVID-19 vaccine.In addition the latest word is that the antibodies developed by survivors of COVID-19 seem to start declining after a few months. We dont yet know if the antibodies will decline to an unprotective level we havent studied the disease long enough to know that. But that the antibodies decline in just a few months is not a hopeful trend.Consider too the impact on our health care professionals of just letting this horrible disease run unchecked. We have already seen in Wuhan China Italy New York and New Jersey the devastating impact on our front-line health care workers when they are overwhelmed by a spike in this deadly disease. Its dangerous enough but when your emergency room is overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients safety precautions become difficult to follow. We have lost too many of our courageous health care workers to this disease already to let our hospitals get overrun again.And when there are more patients than beds we place health care workers in the heartbreaking situation of having to decide who lives and who dies. What is the main criterion for who gets treatment and who does not? How long will this patient likely live if they survive this disease? Sounds like older people would be most likely to not receive treatment. Some seem too willing to allow older Americans die from COVID-19 theyve already lived their life.Let them die and decrease the surplus population.� Thats a paraphrase of Scrooges words to the two gentlemen asking for a Christmas donation for the poor. Is that us?Which brings me to a very serious question: Why has the United States of America done so poorly in fighting against this pandemic? Poor leadership. Any leader worth his or her salt knows that the best way to lead is by example. And what example has been set for the people of America? Denial. Dismissiveness. Disdain. Delusion. Recklessness.In the absence of leadership what can we do if we want to prevent the deaths from COVID-19 from reaching into the millions? Follow the precautions! That will slow the spread which will allow states to reopen which will allow our economy to come back. We all must do our part.David Opt Hof Lehi is a retired educator who believes in the United States of America as the light of the world. Cr�dito: By David Opt Hof | Special to The Tribune"";""David Op't"";"""";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"135;2020-10-22 12:00:00;43;""David Op��t Hof: A �herd immunity�� strategy would kill millions"";""David Op''t"";""The Salt Lake Tribune"";"""";"""";""COVID-19 is surging all over the United States and in many parts of the world. The case count in the U.S. rises by about 50000 every day and the number of deaths rises by hundreds every day.Despite the precautions that have been suggested Dr. Anthony Fauci and other experts for over six months there is still great confusion and contention over the wearing of masks and other precautions.Another group of experts has pushed the idea of herd immunity� � that we just need to let people get the disease until our nation has enough people who have had the disease that there is no one else to spread to and the disease will just go away as President Donald Trump has predicted.I was curious as to what it would take to get to herd immunity. The numbers vary but it seems that when about 60% of Americans have had COVID-19 we could see this herd immunity happen. I did a little simple math. The population of the United States is about 329.5 million people so 60% of 329.5 million = 197.7 million. Thats how many people would have to get COVID-19 to reach that 60% herd immunity benchmark.The death rate of COVID-19 in the United States is 2.8% which I got from a chart called COVID-19 Death Rates by Country.� That is a low percentage by the way compared to the death rates of other countries one of the few numbers related to COVID-19 in which the United States is lower than other countries. If 2.8% of the people who get COVID-19 die that means 5.5 million Americans would have to die to get to herd immunity. Please work this out to see for yourself if my math makes sense.Is that an acceptable number to anybody? We just passed 200000 COVID-19 deaths a few weeks ago and nobody seemed happy about it. The flu pandemic of 1918 took about 675000 American lives and nobody was happy about that.The terrorist attacks on 9/11 took about 3000 American lives and we were so unhappy about that we went to war against terrorism and have not stopped fighting to this day. But 5.5 million deaths to end this pandemic? Almost 6 million. Thats about how many Jews were killed in the Holocaust. Are we no better than the Nazis?Yes eventually we do want to get to herd immunity like we have with polio and smallpox. But is just letting the disease spread unchecked a sensible way to get there? Obviously we would want to have vaccines help us to get there. But from what I hear many people will not take the vaccine when it is available. There is a lot of mistrust of vaccines right now especially a fast-tracked COVID-19 vaccine.In addition the latest word is that the antibodies developed by survivors of COVID-19 seem to start declining after a few months. We dont yet know if the antibodies will decline to an unprotective level we havent studied the disease long enough to know that. But that the antibodies decline in just a few months is not a hopeful trend.Consider too the impact on our health care professionals of just letting this horrible disease run unchecked. We have already seen in Wuhan China Italy New York and New Jersey the devastating impact on our front-line health care workers when they are overwhelmed by a spike in this deadly disease. Its dangerous enough but when your emergency room is overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients safety precautions become difficult to follow. We have lost too many of our courageous health care workers to this disease already to let our hospitals get overrun again.And when there are more patients than beds we place health care workers in the heartbreaking situation of having to decide who lives and who dies. What is the main criterion for who gets treatment and who does not? How long will this patient likely live if they survive this disease? Sounds like older people would be most likely to not receive treatment. Some seem too willing to allow older Americans die from COVID-19 theyve already lived their life.Let them die and decrease the surplus population.� Thats a paraphrase of Scrooges words to the two gentlemen asking for a Christmas donation for the poor. Is that us?Which brings me to a very serious question: Why has the United States of America done so poorly in fighting against this pandemic? Poor leadership. Any leader worth his or her salt knows that the best way to lead is by example. And what example has been set for the people of America? Denial. Dismissiveness. Disdain. Delusion. Recklessness.In the absence of leadership what can we do if we want to prevent the deaths from COVID-19 from reaching into the millions? Follow the precautions! That will slow the spread which will allow states to reopen which will allow our economy to come back. We all must do our part.David Opt Hof Lehi is a retired educator who believes in the United States of America as the light of the world. Cr�dito: By David Opt Hof | Special to The Tribune"";""David Op't"";"""";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"411;2020-10-22 12:00:00;43;""David Op��t Hof: A �herd immunity�� strategy would kill millions"";""David Op''t"";""The Salt Lake Tribune"";"""";"""";""COVID-19 is surging all over the United States and in many parts of the world. The case count in the U.S. rises by about 50000 every day and the number of deaths rises by hundreds every day.Despite the precautions that have been suggested Dr. Anthony Fauci and other experts for over six months there is still great confusion and contention over the wearing of masks and other precautions.Another group of experts has pushed the idea of herd immunity� � that we just need to let people get the disease until our nation has enough people who have had the disease that there is no one else to spread to and the disease will just go away as President Donald Trump has predicted.I was curious as to what it would take to get to herd immunity. The numbers vary but it seems that when about 60% of Americans have had COVID-19 we could see this herd immunity happen. I did a little simple math. The population of the United States is about 329.5 million people so 60% of 329.5 million = 197.7 million. Thats how many people would have to get COVID-19 to reach that 60% herd immunity benchmark.The death rate of COVID-19 in the United States is 2.8% which I got from a chart called COVID-19 Death Rates by Country.� That is a low percentage by the way compared to the death rates of other countries one of the few numbers related to COVID-19 in which the United States is lower than other countries. If 2.8% of the people who get COVID-19 die that means 5.5 million Americans would have to die to get to herd immunity. Please work this out to see for yourself if my math makes sense.Is that an acceptable number to anybody? We just passed 200000 COVID-19 deaths a few weeks ago and nobody seemed happy about it. The flu pandemic of 1918 took about 675000 American lives and nobody was happy about that.The terrorist attacks on 9/11 took about 3000 American lives and we were so unhappy about that we went to war against terrorism and have not stopped fighting to this day. But 5.5 million deaths to end this pandemic? Almost 6 million. Thats about how many Jews were killed in the Holocaust. Are we no better than the Nazis?Yes eventually we do want to get to herd immunity like we have with polio and smallpox. But is just letting the disease spread unchecked a sensible way to get there? Obviously we would want to have vaccines help us to get there. But from what I hear many people will not take the vaccine when it is available. There is a lot of mistrust of vaccines right now especially a fast-tracked COVID-19 vaccine.In addition the latest word is that the antibodies developed by survivors of COVID-19 seem to start declining after a few months. We dont yet know if the antibodies will decline to an unprotective level we havent studied the disease long enough to know that. But that the antibodies decline in just a few months is not a hopeful trend.Consider too the impact on our health care professionals of just letting this horrible disease run unchecked. We have already seen in Wuhan China Italy New York and New Jersey the devastating impact on our front-line health care workers when they are overwhelmed by a spike in this deadly disease. Its dangerous enough but when your emergency room is overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients safety precautions become difficult to follow. We have lost too many of our courageous health care workers to this disease already to let our hospitals get overrun again.And when there are more patients than beds we place health care workers in the heartbreaking situation of having to decide who lives and who dies. What is the main criterion for who gets treatment and who does not? How long will this patient likely live if they survive this disease? Sounds like older people would be most likely to not receive treatment. Some seem too willing to allow older Americans die from COVID-19 theyve already lived their life.Let them die and decrease the surplus population.� Thats a paraphrase of Scrooges words to the two gentlemen asking for a Christmas donation for the poor. Is that us?Which brings me to a very serious question: Why has the United States of America done so poorly in fighting against this pandemic? Poor leadership. Any leader worth his or her salt knows that the best way to lead is by example. And what example has been set for the people of America? Denial. Dismissiveness. Disdain. Delusion. Recklessness.In the absence of leadership what can we do if we want to prevent the deaths from COVID-19 from reaching into the millions? Follow the precautions! That will slow the spread which will allow states to reopen which will allow our economy to come back. We all must do our part.David Opt Hof Lehi is a retired educator who believes in the United States of America as the light of the world. Cr�dito: By David Opt Hof | Special to The Tribune"";""David Op't"";"""";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"412;2020-10-22 12:00:00;43;""David Op��t Hof: A �herd immunity�� strategy would kill millions"";""David Op''t"";""The Salt Lake Tribune"";"""";"""";""COVID-19 is surging all over the United States and in many parts of the world. The case count in the U.S. rises by about 50000 every day and the number of deaths rises by hundreds every day.Despite the precautions that have been suggested Dr. Anthony Fauci and other experts for over six months there is still great confusion and contention over the wearing of masks and other precautions.Another group of experts has pushed the idea of herd immunity� � that we just need to let people get the disease until our nation has enough people who have had the disease that there is no one else to spread to and the disease will just go away as President Donald Trump has predicted.I was curious as to what it would take to get to herd immunity. The numbers vary but it seems that when about 60% of Americans have had COVID-19 we could see this herd immunity happen. I did a little simple math. The population of the United States is about 329.5 million people so 60% of 329.5 million = 197.7 million. Thats how many people would have to get COVID-19 to reach that 60% herd immunity benchmark.The death rate of COVID-19 in the United States is 2.8% which I got from a chart called COVID-19 Death Rates by Country.� That is a low percentage by the way compared to the death rates of other countries one of the few numbers related to COVID-19 in which the United States is lower than other countries. If 2.8% of the people who get COVID-19 die that means 5.5 million Americans would have to die to get to herd immunity. Please work this out to see for yourself if my math makes sense.Is that an acceptable number to anybody? We just passed 200000 COVID-19 deaths a few weeks ago and nobody seemed happy about it. The flu pandemic of 1918 took about 675000 American lives and nobody was happy about that.The terrorist attacks on 9/11 took about 3000 American lives and we were so unhappy about that we went to war against terrorism and have not stopped fighting to this day. But 5.5 million deaths to end this pandemic? Almost 6 million. Thats about how many Jews were killed in the Holocaust. Are we no better than the Nazis?Yes eventually we do want to get to herd immunity like we have with polio and smallpox. But is just letting the disease spread unchecked a sensible way to get there? Obviously we would want to have vaccines help us to get there. But from what I hear many people will not take the vaccine when it is available. There is a lot of mistrust of vaccines right now especially a fast-tracked COVID-19 vaccine.In addition the latest word is that the antibodies developed by survivors of COVID-19 seem to start declining after a few months. We dont yet know if the antibodies will decline to an unprotective level we havent studied the disease long enough to know that. But that the antibodies decline in just a few months is not a hopeful trend.Consider too the impact on our health care professionals of just letting this horrible disease run unchecked. We have already seen in Wuhan China Italy New York and New Jersey the devastating impact on our front-line health care workers when they are overwhelmed by a spike in this deadly disease. Its dangerous enough but when your emergency room is overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients safety precautions become difficult to follow. We have lost too many of our courageous health care workers to this disease already to let our hospitals get overrun again.And when there are more patients than beds we place health care workers in the heartbreaking situation of having to decide who lives and who dies. What is the main criterion for who gets treatment and who does not? How long will this patient likely live if they survive this disease? Sounds like older people would be most likely to not receive treatment. Some seem too willing to allow older Americans die from COVID-19 theyve already lived their life.Let them die and decrease the surplus population.� Thats a paraphrase of Scrooges words to the two gentlemen asking for a Christmas donation for the poor. Is that us?Which brings me to a very serious question: Why has the United States of America done so poorly in fighting against this pandemic? Poor leadership. Any leader worth his or her salt knows that the best way to lead is by example. And what example has been set for the people of America? Denial. Dismissiveness. Disdain. Delusion. Recklessness.In the absence of leadership what can we do if we want to prevent the deaths from COVID-19 from reaching into the millions? Follow the precautions! That will slow the spread which will allow states to reopen which will allow our economy to come back. We all must do our part.David Opt Hof Lehi is a retired educator who believes in the United States of America as the light of the world. Cr�dito: By David Opt Hof | Special to The Tribune"";""David Op't"";"""";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"136;2020-10-22 12:00:00;44;""The administration''s pandemic plan centers on protecting seniors.��Seniors keep dying."";""Philip Bump"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'My advice is exactly this' he said in an interview this week. 'It's a three-pronged strategy' the first of which is 'aggressive protection of high-risk individuals and the vulnerable typically the elderly and those with co-morbidities.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"137;2020-10-22 12:00:00;44;""The administration''s pandemic plan centers on protecting seniors.��Seniors keep dying."";""Philip Bump"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'My advice is exactly this' he said in an interview this week. 'It's a three-pronged strategy' the first of which is 'aggressive protection of high-risk individuals and the vulnerable typically the elderly and those with co-morbidities.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"140;2020-10-22 12:00:00;45;""Scientists denounce herd immunity option"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""The letter calls the idea of using natural infection-based herd immunity a dangerous fallacy unsupported by the scientific evidence.'"";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""The John Snow Memorandum"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"141;2020-10-22 12:00:00;45;""Scientists denounce herd immunity option"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""William Hanage an epidemiologist at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health and one of the original authors of the letter said there are ways to control thecoronavirus pandemic but uncontrolled transmission is not one of them.'"";""William Hanage"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"142;2020-10-22 12:00:00;45;""Scientists denounce herd immunity option"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""The overwhelming number of public health folks and health care folks would never say they believe in herd immunity through infection' said Dr. Nahid Bhadelia an infectious disease physician at Boston Medical Center and an associate professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine."";""Nahid Bhadelia"";""Boston University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"143;2020-10-22 12:00:00;45;""Scientists denounce herd immunity option"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""Bhadelia also one of the original authors of the letter said proponents of the strategy in an abnegation of responsibility' want to let it rip but have no plan for when health systems get overwhelmed.'"";""Nahid Bhadelia"";""Boston University"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"144;2020-10-22 12:00:00;45;""Scientists denounce herd immunity option"";""Martin Finucane"";""The Boston Globe"";"""";"""";""It offers the idea that we can just go back to normal and it doesn't say anything about how we're going to do the most important part of it' protecting the vulnerable he said."";""William Hanage"";""Harvard University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"125;2020-10-23 12:00:00;40;""Our View: Trump finds a strategy that fits his failures"";""Unspecified"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""What the White House is discussing is a variant of this. It argues that while waiting for a vaccine pandemic restrictions should be lifted on Americans thought to be at minimal risk of death from COVID-19 -- like younger people -- allowing them to 'live their lives normally' and risk infection. The resulting cascade of theoretically mild cases the argument goes would use natural infection to hasten herd immunity.This is a convenient solution for Donald Trump. It fits neatly within his failure to produce a national plan for curtailing coronavirus with rapid testing contact tracing and isolating the infected. And it endorses his mantra that states fully reopen for economic recovery even as the disease spreads.There's just one problem. Infectious disease experts say it's junk science and worse could double or triple the death toll from COVID-19."";"""";""USA Today"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"126;2020-10-23 12:00:00;40;""Our View: Trump finds a strategy that fits his failures"";""Unspecified"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""What the White House is discussing is a variant of this. It argues that while waiting for a vaccine pandemic restrictions should be lifted on Americans thought to be at minimal risk of death from COVID-19 -- like younger people -- allowing them to 'live their lives normally' and risk infection. The resulting cascade of theoretically mild cases the argument goes would use natural infection to hasten herd immunity.This is a convenient solution for Donald Trump. It fits neatly within his failure to produce a national plan for curtailing coronavirus with rapid testing contact tracing and isolating the infected. And it endorses his mantra that states fully reopen for economic recovery even as the disease spreads.There's just one problem. Infectious disease experts say it's junk science and worse could double or triple the death toll from COVID-19."";"""";""USA Today"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"127;2020-10-23 12:00:00;40;""Our View: Trump finds a strategy that fits his failures"";""Unspecified"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'(It) is the most amazing combination of pixie dust and pseudoscience I've ever seen' said Michael Osterholm head of the Center for Infectious Disease Researchand Policy at the University of Minnesota."";""Michael Osterholm"";""University of Minnesota"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"409;2020-10-23 12:00:00;40;""Our View: Trump finds a strategy that fits his failures"";""Unspecified"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'(It) is the most amazing combination of pixie dust and pseudoscience I've ever seen' said Michael Osterholm head of the Center for Infectious Disease Researchand Policy at the University of Minnesota."";""Michael Osterholm"";""University of Minnesota"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"128;2020-10-23 12:00:00;40;""Our View: Trump finds a strategy that fits his failures"";""Unspecified"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The idea of lifting restrictions on all but the most vulnerable Americans such as the elderly or medically frail has been dubbed 'focused protection' by three scientists who drafted what they call The Great Barrington Declaration. "";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"132;2020-10-23 12:00:00;41;""Our COVID-19 plan would minimize mortality and lockdown-induced collateral damage"";""Martin Kulldorff Sunetra Gupta Jay Bhattacharya"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Current COVID-19 lockdowns protect low-risk college students and young professional bankers attorneys journalists scientists and others who can work from home while older high-risk working-class people are risking their lives building the population immunity that will eventually protect us all.While mortality is inevitable during a pandemic the COVID-19 lockdown strategy has led to more than 220000 deaths with the urban working class carrying the heaviest burden. Many older workers have been forced to accept high mortality risk or increased poverty or both. While the current lockdowns are less strict than in March the lockdown and contact tracing strategy is the worst assault on the working class since segregation and the Vietnam War.Lockdown policies have closed schools businesses and churches while not enforcing strict protocols to protect high-risk nursing home residents. University closures and the economic displacement caused by lockdowns have led millions of young adults to live with older parents increasing regular close interactions across generations.The Focused Protection� plan in the Great Barrington Declaration would minimize both COVID-19 mortality and lockdown-induced collateral damage on other health outcomes. In line with pre-2020 pandemic preparedness plans the declaration calls for better protecting the old and other high-risk groups for whom COVID-19 is more dangerous than influenza.By contrast for children COVID-19 is less dangerous than influenza. Children and low-risk young adults should be allowed to live near normal lives as they face greater medical psychological and economic harms from lockdowns than from COVID-19. Immunity among low-risk young adults could also shorten the length of the pandemic making it easier for older people to protect themselves.Denying in-person teaching to students is harmful to their education and physical and mental health with working-class children hardest hit. Online schooling puts a disproportional burden on our children despite their own minimal risk.For ages 1 to 15 Sweden kept day care and schools open throughout the height of the pandemic and among the 1.8 million children of that age there were zero COVID-19 deaths without masks used or physical distancing. Neither was there any excess risk for in-person teachers compared with the average of other professions.Some argue that it is impossible to separate older and younger generations. While 100% separation is impossible lockdowns have successfully� shifted infection risk from the professional class to the working class and nursing home residents.It is no more challenging to shift infection risk from high-mortality-risk older people to low-mortality-risk younger adults including the young bankers attorneys journalists and scientists who are now protected."";""Sunetra Gupta"";""Oxford University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"133;2020-10-23 12:00:00;41;""Our COVID-19 plan would minimize mortality and lockdown-induced collateral damage"";""Martin Kulldorff Sunetra Gupta Jay Bhattacharya"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Current COVID-19 lockdowns protect low-risk college students and young professional bankers attorneys journalists scientists and others who can work from home while older high-risk working-class people are risking their lives building the population immunity that will eventually protect us all.While mortality is inevitable during a pandemic the COVID-19 lockdown strategy has led to more than 220000 deaths with the urban working class carrying the heaviest burden. Many older workers have been forced to accept high mortality risk or increased poverty or both. While the current lockdowns are less strict than in March the lockdown and contact tracing strategy is the worst assault on the working class since segregation and the Vietnam War.Lockdown policies have closed schools businesses and churches while not enforcing strict protocols to protect high-risk nursing home residents. University closures and the economic displacement caused by lockdowns have led millions of young adults to live with older parents increasing regular close interactions across generations.The Focused Protection� plan in the Great Barrington Declaration would minimize both COVID-19 mortality and lockdown-induced collateral damage on other health outcomes. In line with pre-2020 pandemic preparedness plans the declaration calls for better protecting the old and other high-risk groups for whom COVID-19 is more dangerous than influenza.By contrast for children COVID-19 is less dangerous than influenza. Children and low-risk young adults should be allowed to live near normal lives as they face greater medical psychological and economic harms from lockdowns than from COVID-19. Immunity among low-risk young adults could also shorten the length of the pandemic making it easier for older people to protect themselves.Denying in-person teaching to students is harmful to their education and physical and mental health with working-class children hardest hit. Online schooling puts a disproportional burden on our children despite their own minimal risk.For ages 1 to 15 Sweden kept day care and schools open throughout the height of the pandemic and among the 1.8 million children of that age there were zero COVID-19 deaths without masks used or physical distancing. Neither was there any excess risk for in-person teachers compared with the average of other professions.Some argue that it is impossible to separate older and younger generations. While 100% separation is impossible lockdowns have successfully� shifted infection risk from the professional class to the working class and nursing home residents.It is no more challenging to shift infection risk from high-mortality-risk older people to low-mortality-risk younger adults including the young bankers attorneys journalists and scientists who are now protected."";""Sunetra Gupta"";""Oxford University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"577;2020-10-23 12:00:00;41;""Our COVID-19 plan would minimize mortality and lockdown-induced collateral damage"";""Martin Kulldorff Sunetra Gupta Jay Bhattacharya"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Current COVID-19 lockdowns protect low-risk college students and young professional bankers attorneys journalists scientists and others who can work from home while older high-risk working-class people are risking their lives building the population immunity that will eventually protect us all.While mortality is inevitable during a pandemic the COVID-19 lockdown strategy has led to more than 220000 deaths with the urban working class carrying the heaviest burden. Many older workers have been forced to accept high mortality risk or increased poverty or both. While the current lockdowns are less strict than in March the lockdown and contact tracing strategy is the worst assault on the working class since segregation and the Vietnam War.Lockdown policies have closed schools businesses and churches while not enforcing strict protocols to protect high-risk nursing home residents. University closures and the economic displacement caused by lockdowns have led millions of young adults to live with older parents increasing regular close interactions across generations.The Focused Protection� plan in the Great Barrington Declaration would minimize both COVID-19 mortality and lockdown-induced collateral damage on other health outcomes. In line with pre-2020 pandemic preparedness plans the declaration calls for better protecting the old and other high-risk groups for whom COVID-19 is more dangerous than influenza.By contrast for children COVID-19 is less dangerous than influenza. Children and low-risk young adults should be allowed to live near normal lives as they face greater medical psychological and economic harms from lockdowns than from COVID-19. Immunity among low-risk young adults could also shorten the length of the pandemic making it easier for older people to protect themselves.Denying in-person teaching to students is harmful to their education and physical and mental health with working-class children hardest hit. Online schooling puts a disproportional burden on our children despite their own minimal risk.For ages 1 to 15 Sweden kept day care and schools open throughout the height of the pandemic and among the 1.8 million children of that age there were zero COVID-19 deaths without masks used or physical distancing. Neither was there any excess risk for in-person teachers compared with the average of other professions.Some argue that it is impossible to separate older and younger generations. While 100% separation is impossible lockdowns have successfully� shifted infection risk from the professional class to the working class and nursing home residents.It is no more challenging to shift infection risk from high-mortality-risk older people to low-mortality-risk younger adults including the young bankers attorneys journalists and scientists who are now protected."";""Sunetra Gupta"";""Oxford University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"578;2020-10-23 12:00:00;41;""Our COVID-19 plan would minimize mortality and lockdown-induced collateral damage"";""Martin Kulldorff Sunetra Gupta Jay Bhattacharya"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Current COVID-19 lockdowns protect low-risk college students and young professional bankers attorneys journalists scientists and others who can work from home while older high-risk working-class people are risking their lives building the population immunity that will eventually protect us all.While mortality is inevitable during a pandemic the COVID-19 lockdown strategy has led to more than 220000 deaths with the urban working class carrying the heaviest burden. Many older workers have been forced to accept high mortality risk or increased poverty or both. While the current lockdowns are less strict than in March the lockdown and contact tracing strategy is the worst assault on the working class since segregation and the Vietnam War.Lockdown policies have closed schools businesses and churches while not enforcing strict protocols to protect high-risk nursing home residents. University closures and the economic displacement caused by lockdowns have led millions of young adults to live with older parents increasing regular close interactions across generations.The Focused Protection� plan in the Great Barrington Declaration would minimize both COVID-19 mortality and lockdown-induced collateral damage on other health outcomes. In line with pre-2020 pandemic preparedness plans the declaration calls for better protecting the old and other high-risk groups for whom COVID-19 is more dangerous than influenza.By contrast for children COVID-19 is less dangerous than influenza. Children and low-risk young adults should be allowed to live near normal lives as they face greater medical psychological and economic harms from lockdowns than from COVID-19. Immunity among low-risk young adults could also shorten the length of the pandemic making it easier for older people to protect themselves.Denying in-person teaching to students is harmful to their education and physical and mental health with working-class children hardest hit. Online schooling puts a disproportional burden on our children despite their own minimal risk.For ages 1 to 15 Sweden kept day care and schools open throughout the height of the pandemic and among the 1.8 million children of that age there were zero COVID-19 deaths without masks used or physical distancing. Neither was there any excess risk for in-person teachers compared with the average of other professions.Some argue that it is impossible to separate older and younger generations. While 100% separation is impossible lockdowns have successfully� shifted infection risk from the professional class to the working class and nursing home residents.It is no more challenging to shift infection risk from high-mortality-risk older people to low-mortality-risk younger adults including the young bankers attorneys journalists and scientists who are now protected."";""Jay Bhattacharya"";""Stanford University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"579;2020-10-23 12:00:00;41;""Our COVID-19 plan would minimize mortality and lockdown-induced collateral damage"";""Martin Kulldorff Sunetra Gupta Jay Bhattacharya"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Current COVID-19 lockdowns protect low-risk college students and young professional bankers attorneys journalists scientists and others who can work from home while older high-risk working-class people are risking their lives building the population immunity that will eventually protect us all.While mortality is inevitable during a pandemic the COVID-19 lockdown strategy has led to more than 220000 deaths with the urban working class carrying the heaviest burden. Many older workers have been forced to accept high mortality risk or increased poverty or both. While the current lockdowns are less strict than in March the lockdown and contact tracing strategy is the worst assault on the working class since segregation and the Vietnam War.Lockdown policies have closed schools businesses and churches while not enforcing strict protocols to protect high-risk nursing home residents. University closures and the economic displacement caused by lockdowns have led millions of young adults to live with older parents increasing regular close interactions across generations.The Focused Protection� plan in the Great Barrington Declaration would minimize both COVID-19 mortality and lockdown-induced collateral damage on other health outcomes. In line with pre-2020 pandemic preparedness plans the declaration calls for better protecting the old and other high-risk groups for whom COVID-19 is more dangerous than influenza.By contrast for children COVID-19 is less dangerous than influenza. Children and low-risk young adults should be allowed to live near normal lives as they face greater medical psychological and economic harms from lockdowns than from COVID-19. Immunity among low-risk young adults could also shorten the length of the pandemic making it easier for older people to protect themselves.Denying in-person teaching to students is harmful to their education and physical and mental health with working-class children hardest hit. Online schooling puts a disproportional burden on our children despite their own minimal risk.For ages 1 to 15 Sweden kept day care and schools open throughout the height of the pandemic and among the 1.8 million children of that age there were zero COVID-19 deaths without masks used or physical distancing. Neither was there any excess risk for in-person teachers compared with the average of other professions.Some argue that it is impossible to separate older and younger generations. While 100% separation is impossible lockdowns have successfully� shifted infection risk from the professional class to the working class and nursing home residents.It is no more challenging to shift infection risk from high-mortality-risk older people to low-mortality-risk younger adults including the young bankers attorneys journalists and scientists who are now protected."";""Jay Bhattacharya"";""Stanford University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"580;2020-10-23 12:00:00;41;""Our COVID-19 plan would minimize mortality and lockdown-induced collateral damage"";""Martin Kulldorff Sunetra Gupta Jay Bhattacharya"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Current COVID-19 lockdowns protect low-risk college students and young professional bankers attorneys journalists scientists and others who can work from home while older high-risk working-class people are risking their lives building the population immunity that will eventually protect us all.While mortality is inevitable during a pandemic the COVID-19 lockdown strategy has led to more than 220000 deaths with the urban working class carrying the heaviest burden. Many older workers have been forced to accept high mortality risk or increased poverty or both. While the current lockdowns are less strict than in March the lockdown and contact tracing strategy is the worst assault on the working class since segregation and the Vietnam War.Lockdown policies have closed schools businesses and churches while not enforcing strict protocols to protect high-risk nursing home residents. University closures and the economic displacement caused by lockdowns have led millions of young adults to live with older parents increasing regular close interactions across generations.The Focused Protection� plan in the Great Barrington Declaration would minimize both COVID-19 mortality and lockdown-induced collateral damage on other health outcomes. In line with pre-2020 pandemic preparedness plans the declaration calls for better protecting the old and other high-risk groups for whom COVID-19 is more dangerous than influenza.By contrast for children COVID-19 is less dangerous than influenza. Children and low-risk young adults should be allowed to live near normal lives as they face greater medical psychological and economic harms from lockdowns than from COVID-19. Immunity among low-risk young adults could also shorten the length of the pandemic making it easier for older people to protect themselves.Denying in-person teaching to students is harmful to their education and physical and mental health with working-class children hardest hit. Online schooling puts a disproportional burden on our children despite their own minimal risk.For ages 1 to 15 Sweden kept day care and schools open throughout the height of the pandemic and among the 1.8 million children of that age there were zero COVID-19 deaths without masks used or physical distancing. Neither was there any excess risk for in-person teachers compared with the average of other professions.Some argue that it is impossible to separate older and younger generations. While 100% separation is impossible lockdowns have successfully� shifted infection risk from the professional class to the working class and nursing home residents.It is no more challenging to shift infection risk from high-mortality-risk older people to low-mortality-risk younger adults including the young bankers attorneys journalists and scientists who are now protected."";""Jay Bhattacharya"";""Stanford University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"581;2020-10-23 12:00:00;41;""Our COVID-19 plan would minimize mortality and lockdown-induced collateral damage"";""Martin Kulldorff Sunetra Gupta Jay Bhattacharya"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Current COVID-19 lockdowns protect low-risk college students and young professional bankers attorneys journalists scientists and others who can work from home while older high-risk working-class people are risking their lives building the population immunity that will eventually protect us all.While mortality is inevitable during a pandemic the COVID-19 lockdown strategy has led to more than 220000 deaths with the urban working class carrying the heaviest burden. Many older workers have been forced to accept high mortality risk or increased poverty or both. While the current lockdowns are less strict than in March the lockdown and contact tracing strategy is the worst assault on the working class since segregation and the Vietnam War.Lockdown policies have closed schools businesses and churches while not enforcing strict protocols to protect high-risk nursing home residents. University closures and the economic displacement caused by lockdowns have led millions of young adults to live with older parents increasing regular close interactions across generations.The Focused Protection� plan in the Great Barrington Declaration would minimize both COVID-19 mortality and lockdown-induced collateral damage on other health outcomes. In line with pre-2020 pandemic preparedness plans the declaration calls for better protecting the old and other high-risk groups for whom COVID-19 is more dangerous than influenza.By contrast for children COVID-19 is less dangerous than influenza. Children and low-risk young adults should be allowed to live near normal lives as they face greater medical psychological and economic harms from lockdowns than from COVID-19. Immunity among low-risk young adults could also shorten the length of the pandemic making it easier for older people to protect themselves.Denying in-person teaching to students is harmful to their education and physical and mental health with working-class children hardest hit. Online schooling puts a disproportional burden on our children despite their own minimal risk.For ages 1 to 15 Sweden kept day care and schools open throughout the height of the pandemic and among the 1.8 million children of that age there were zero COVID-19 deaths without masks used or physical distancing. Neither was there any excess risk for in-person teachers compared with the average of other professions.Some argue that it is impossible to separate older and younger generations. While 100% separation is impossible lockdowns have successfully� shifted infection risk from the professional class to the working class and nursing home residents.It is no more challenging to shift infection risk from high-mortality-risk older people to low-mortality-risk younger adults including the young bankers attorneys journalists and scientists who are now protected."";""Martin Kulldorf"";""Harvard University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"582;2020-10-23 12:00:00;41;""Our COVID-19 plan would minimize mortality and lockdown-induced collateral damage"";""Martin Kulldorff Sunetra Gupta Jay Bhattacharya"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Current COVID-19 lockdowns protect low-risk college students and young professional bankers attorneys journalists scientists and others who can work from home while older high-risk working-class people are risking their lives building the population immunity that will eventually protect us all.While mortality is inevitable during a pandemic the COVID-19 lockdown strategy has led to more than 220000 deaths with the urban working class carrying the heaviest burden. Many older workers have been forced to accept high mortality risk or increased poverty or both. While the current lockdowns are less strict than in March the lockdown and contact tracing strategy is the worst assault on the working class since segregation and the Vietnam War.Lockdown policies have closed schools businesses and churches while not enforcing strict protocols to protect high-risk nursing home residents. University closures and the economic displacement caused by lockdowns have led millions of young adults to live with older parents increasing regular close interactions across generations.The Focused Protection� plan in the Great Barrington Declaration would minimize both COVID-19 mortality and lockdown-induced collateral damage on other health outcomes. In line with pre-2020 pandemic preparedness plans the declaration calls for better protecting the old and other high-risk groups for whom COVID-19 is more dangerous than influenza.By contrast for children COVID-19 is less dangerous than influenza. Children and low-risk young adults should be allowed to live near normal lives as they face greater medical psychological and economic harms from lockdowns than from COVID-19. Immunity among low-risk young adults could also shorten the length of the pandemic making it easier for older people to protect themselves.Denying in-person teaching to students is harmful to their education and physical and mental health with working-class children hardest hit. Online schooling puts a disproportional burden on our children despite their own minimal risk.For ages 1 to 15 Sweden kept day care and schools open throughout the height of the pandemic and among the 1.8 million children of that age there were zero COVID-19 deaths without masks used or physical distancing. Neither was there any excess risk for in-person teachers compared with the average of other professions.Some argue that it is impossible to separate older and younger generations. While 100% separation is impossible lockdowns have successfully� shifted infection risk from the professional class to the working class and nursing home residents.It is no more challenging to shift infection risk from high-mortality-risk older people to low-mortality-risk younger adults including the young bankers attorneys journalists and scientists who are now protected."";""Martin Kulldorf"";""Harvard University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"583;2020-10-23 12:00:00;41;""Our COVID-19 plan would minimize mortality and lockdown-induced collateral damage"";""Martin Kulldorff Sunetra Gupta Jay Bhattacharya"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Current COVID-19 lockdowns protect low-risk college students and young professional bankers attorneys journalists scientists and others who can work from home while older high-risk working-class people are risking their lives building the population immunity that will eventually protect us all.While mortality is inevitable during a pandemic the COVID-19 lockdown strategy has led to more than 220000 deaths with the urban working class carrying the heaviest burden. Many older workers have been forced to accept high mortality risk or increased poverty or both. While the current lockdowns are less strict than in March the lockdown and contact tracing strategy is the worst assault on the working class since segregation and the Vietnam War.Lockdown policies have closed schools businesses and churches while not enforcing strict protocols to protect high-risk nursing home residents. University closures and the economic displacement caused by lockdowns have led millions of young adults to live with older parents increasing regular close interactions across generations.The Focused Protection� plan in the Great Barrington Declaration would minimize both COVID-19 mortality and lockdown-induced collateral damage on other health outcomes. In line with pre-2020 pandemic preparedness plans the declaration calls for better protecting the old and other high-risk groups for whom COVID-19 is more dangerous than influenza.By contrast for children COVID-19 is less dangerous than influenza. Children and low-risk young adults should be allowed to live near normal lives as they face greater medical psychological and economic harms from lockdowns than from COVID-19. Immunity among low-risk young adults could also shorten the length of the pandemic making it easier for older people to protect themselves.Denying in-person teaching to students is harmful to their education and physical and mental health with working-class children hardest hit. Online schooling puts a disproportional burden on our children despite their own minimal risk.For ages 1 to 15 Sweden kept day care and schools open throughout the height of the pandemic and among the 1.8 million children of that age there were zero COVID-19 deaths without masks used or physical distancing. Neither was there any excess risk for in-person teachers compared with the average of other professions.Some argue that it is impossible to separate older and younger generations. While 100% separation is impossible lockdowns have successfully� shifted infection risk from the professional class to the working class and nursing home residents.It is no more challenging to shift infection risk from high-mortality-risk older people to low-mortality-risk younger adults including the young bankers attorneys journalists and scientists who are now protected."";""Martin Kulldorf"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"130;2020-10-23 12:00:00;41;""Our COVID-19 plan would minimize mortality and lockdown-induced collateral damage"";""Martin Kulldorff Sunetra Gupta Jay Bhattacharya"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The Focused Protection� plan in the Great Barrington Declaration would minimize both COVID-19 mortality and lockdown-induced collateral damage on other health outcomes."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"131;2020-10-23 12:00:00;41;""Our COVID-19 plan would minimize mortality and lockdown-induced collateral damage"";""Martin Kulldorff Sunetra Gupta Jay Bhattacharya"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The Focused Protection� plan in the Great Barrington Declaration would minimize both COVID-19 mortality and lockdown-induced collateral damage on other health outcomes."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"584;2020-10-23 12:00:00;42;""COVID-19 herd immunity strategy fits Donald Trump''''s failures in coronavirus war"";""Unspecified"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Infectious disease experts say it's junk science and worse would risk doubling or tripling the number of Americans dead from COVID-19. Marc Lipsitch director of the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health admonishingly labeled the idea as'policy-based evidence-making rather than evidence-based policymaking.'"";""Marc Lipsitch"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"585;2020-10-23 12:00:00;42;""COVID-19 herd immunity strategy fits Donald Trump''''s failures in coronavirus war"";""Unspecified"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'(It) is the most amazing combination of pixie dust and pseudoscience I've ever seen' said Michael Osterholm head of the Center for Infectious Disease Researchand Policy at the University of Minnesota."";""Michael Osterholm"";""University of Minnesota"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"586;2020-10-23 12:00:00;42;""COVID-19 herd immunity strategy fits Donald Trump''''s failures in coronavirus war"";""Unspecified"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The idea in the absence of a widely distributed vaccine of lifting restrictions on all but the most vulnerable Americans such as the elderly or medically frail has been dubbed 'focused protection' by three scientists who drafted what they call The Great Barrington Declaration."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"587;2020-10-23 12:00:00;42;""COVID-19 herd immunity strategy fits Donald Trump''''s failures in coronavirus war"";""Unspecified"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""The idea in the absence of a widely distributed vaccine of lifting restrictions on all but the most vulnerable Americans such as the elderly or medically frail has been dubbed 'focused protection' by three scientists who drafted what they call The Great Barrington Declaration."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"124;2020-10-27 12:00:00;39;""The White House virus plan: Surrender"";""Leana Wen"";""The Washington Post"";"""";"""";""We finally have our answer: capitulation.For weeks the White House has been advancing a 'herd immunity' approach of essentially letting the coronavirus infect the majority of the population. President Trump insists that the United States is 'rounding the corner' despite record-breaking infection rates and rising hospitalizations."";""Leana Wen"";""The Washington Post"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"573;2020-10-28 12:00:00;38;""Targeting herd immunity from COVID-19 without a vaccine remains a deadly idea �� here��s why"";""Steven Albert"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""Dropping social distancing and mask wearing reopening restaurants and allowing large gatherings will result in overwhelmed hospital systems and skyrocketing mortalityGetty ImagesWhite House advisers have made the case recently for a natural� approach to herd immunity as a way to reduce the need for public health measures to control the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic while still keeping people safe. This idea is summed up in something called the Great Barrington Declaration  a proposal put out by the American Institute for Economic Research  a libertarian think tank.The basic idea behind this proposal is to let low-risk people in the U.S. socialize and naturally become infected with the coronavirus while vulnerable people would maintain social distancing and continue to shelter in place. Proponents of this strategy claim so-called natural herd immunity� will emerge and minimize harm from SARS-CoV-2 (and the COVID-19 disease it causes) while protecting the economy.Another way to get to herd immunity is through mass vaccinations as we have done with measles smallpox and largely with polio.A population has achieved herd immunity when a large enough percentage of individuals become immune to a disease. When this happens infected people are no longer able to transmit the disease and the epidemic will burn out.As a professor of behavioral and community health sciences  I am acutely aware that mental social and economic health are important for a person to thrive and that public health measures such as social distancing have imposed severe restrictions on daily life. But based on all the research and science available the leadership at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and I believe this infection-based approach would almost certainly fail.Dropping social distancing and mask wearing reopening restaurants and allowing large gatherings will result in overwhelmed hospital systems and skyrocketing mortality. Furthermore according to recent research this reckless approach is unlikely to even produce the herd immunity thats the whole point of such a plan.Vaccination in comparison offers a much safer and likely more effective approach.Herd immunity is an effective way to limit a deadly epidemic but it requires a huge number of people to be immune.The proportion of the population required for herd immunity depends on how infectious a virus is. This is measured by the basic reproduction number R0  how many people a single contagious person would infect in a susceptible population. For SARS-CoV-2 R0 is between 2 and 3.2 . At that level of infectiousness between 50% and 67% of the population would need to develop immunity through exposure or vaccination to contain the pandemic.The Great Barrington Declaration suggests the U.S. should aim for this immune threshold through infection rather than vaccination.To get to 60% immunity in the U.S. about 198 million individuals would need to be infected survive and develop resistance to the coronavirus. The demand on hospital care from infections would be overwhelming. And according to the WHO estimated infection fatality rate of 0.5%  that would mean nearly a million deaths if the country were to open up fully.The Great Barrington Declaration hinges on the idea that you can effectively keep healthy infected people away from those who are at higher risk. According to this plan if only healthy people are exposed to the virus then the U.S. could get to herd immunity and avoid mass deaths. This may sound reasonable but in the real world with this particular virus such a plan is simply not possible and ignores the risks to vulnerable people young and old.Read: Lilly signs deal with U.S. government for still-investigational COVID-19 antibody drugThe Great Barrington Declaration calls for allowing those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally ... while protecting those who are at highest risk.� Yet healthy people can get sick and asymptomatic transmission inadequate testing and difficulty isolating vulnerable people pose severe challenges to a neat separation based on risk.First the plan wrongly assumes that all healthy people can survive a coronavirus infection. Though at-risk groups do worse young healthy people are also dying and facing long-term issues from the illness.Second not all high-risk people can self-isolate. In some areas as much as 22% of the population have two or more chronic conditions that put them at higher risk for severe COVID-19. They might live with someone in the low-risk group and they still must shop work and do the other activities necessary for life. High-risk individuals will come in contact with the low-risk group.So can you simply guarantee that the low-risk people who interact with the high-risk group are uninfected? People who are infected but not showing symptoms may account for more than 30% of transmission . This asymptomatic spread is hard to detect. Asymptomatic spread is compounded by shortcomings in the quality of testing. Currently available tests are fairly good but do not reliably detect the coronavirus during the early phase of infection when viral concentrations can be low.Accordingly identifying infection in the low-risk population would be difficult. These people could go on to infect high-risk populations because it is impossible to prevent contact between them.Without sharp isolation of these two populations uncontrolled transmission in younger healthier people risks significant illness and death across vulnerable populations. Both computer models and one real-world experiment back up these fears.A recent U.K. modeling effort assessed a range of relaxed suppression strategies and showed thatnone achieved herd immunity while also keeping cases below hospital capacity . This study estimated a fourfold increase in mortality among older people if only older people practice social distancing and the remainder of the population does not.But epidemiologists dont have to rely on computer models alone. Sweden tried this approach to infection-based herd immunity . It did not go well. Swedens mortality rate is on par with Italys and substantially higher than its neighbors .Despite this risky approach Swedens economy still suffered  and on top of that nowhere near enough Swedes have been infected to get to herd immunity. As of August 2020 only about 7.1% of the country had contracted the virus  with the highest rate of 11.4% in Stockholm. This is far short of the estimated 50%-67% required to achieve herd immunity to the coronavirus.There is one final reason to doubt the efficacy of infection-based herd immunity: Contracting and recovering from the coronavirusmight not even give immunity for very long . One CDC report suggests that people appear to become susceptible to reinfection around 90 days after onset of infection.� The potentially short duration of immunity in some recovered patients would certainly throw a wrench in such a plan.When combined with the fact that the highest estimates for antibody prevalence suggest that less than 10% of the U.S. population has been infected  it would be a long dangerous and potentially impassable road to infection-based herd immunity.But there is another way one that has been done before: mass vaccination. Vaccine-induced herd immunity can end this pandemic the same way it has mostly ended measles  eradicated smallpox and nearly eradicated polio across the globe. Vaccines work.Until mass SARS-CoV-2 vaccination social distancing and use of face coverings with comprehensive case finding testing tracing and isolation are the safest approach.These tried-and-true public health measures will keep viral transmission low enough for people to work and attend school while managing smaller outbreaks as they arise. It isnt a return to a totally normal life but these approaches can balance social and economic needs with health.And then once a vaccine is widely available the country can move to herd immunity. Read: A national mask mandate could save 130000 lives by February study finds"";""Steven Albert"";""University of Pittsburgh"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"574;2020-10-28 12:00:00;38;""Targeting herd immunity from COVID-19 without a vaccine remains a deadly idea �� here��s why"";""Steven Albert"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""Dropping social distancing and mask wearing reopening restaurants and allowing large gatherings will result in overwhelmed hospital systems and skyrocketing mortalityGetty ImagesWhite House advisers have made the case recently for a natural� approach to herd immunity as a way to reduce the need for public health measures to control the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic while still keeping people safe. This idea is summed up in something called the Great Barrington Declaration  a proposal put out by the American Institute for Economic Research  a libertarian think tank.The basic idea behind this proposal is to let low-risk people in the U.S. socialize and naturally become infected with the coronavirus while vulnerable people would maintain social distancing and continue to shelter in place. Proponents of this strategy claim so-called natural herd immunity� will emerge and minimize harm from SARS-CoV-2 (and the COVID-19 disease it causes) while protecting the economy.Another way to get to herd immunity is through mass vaccinations as we have done with measles smallpox and largely with polio.A population has achieved herd immunity when a large enough percentage of individuals become immune to a disease. When this happens infected people are no longer able to transmit the disease and the epidemic will burn out.As a professor of behavioral and community health sciences  I am acutely aware that mental social and economic health are important for a person to thrive and that public health measures such as social distancing have imposed severe restrictions on daily life. But based on all the research and science available the leadership at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and I believe this infection-based approach would almost certainly fail.Dropping social distancing and mask wearing reopening restaurants and allowing large gatherings will result in overwhelmed hospital systems and skyrocketing mortality. Furthermore according to recent research this reckless approach is unlikely to even produce the herd immunity thats the whole point of such a plan.Vaccination in comparison offers a much safer and likely more effective approach.Herd immunity is an effective way to limit a deadly epidemic but it requires a huge number of people to be immune.The proportion of the population required for herd immunity depends on how infectious a virus is. This is measured by the basic reproduction number R0  how many people a single contagious person would infect in a susceptible population. For SARS-CoV-2 R0 is between 2 and 3.2 . At that level of infectiousness between 50% and 67% of the population would need to develop immunity through exposure or vaccination to contain the pandemic.The Great Barrington Declaration suggests the U.S. should aim for this immune threshold through infection rather than vaccination.To get to 60% immunity in the U.S. about 198 million individuals would need to be infected survive and develop resistance to the coronavirus. The demand on hospital care from infections would be overwhelming. And according to the WHO estimated infection fatality rate of 0.5%  that would mean nearly a million deaths if the country were to open up fully.The Great Barrington Declaration hinges on the idea that you can effectively keep healthy infected people away from those who are at higher risk. According to this plan if only healthy people are exposed to the virus then the U.S. could get to herd immunity and avoid mass deaths. This may sound reasonable but in the real world with this particular virus such a plan is simply not possible and ignores the risks to vulnerable people young and old.Read: Lilly signs deal with U.S. government for still-investigational COVID-19 antibody drugThe Great Barrington Declaration calls for allowing those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally ... while protecting those who are at highest risk.� Yet healthy people can get sick and asymptomatic transmission inadequate testing and difficulty isolating vulnerable people pose severe challenges to a neat separation based on risk.First the plan wrongly assumes that all healthy people can survive a coronavirus infection. Though at-risk groups do worse young healthy people are also dying and facing long-term issues from the illness.Second not all high-risk people can self-isolate. In some areas as much as 22% of the population have two or more chronic conditions that put them at higher risk for severe COVID-19. They might live with someone in the low-risk group and they still must shop work and do the other activities necessary for life. High-risk individuals will come in contact with the low-risk group.So can you simply guarantee that the low-risk people who interact with the high-risk group are uninfected? People who are infected but not showing symptoms may account for more than 30% of transmission . This asymptomatic spread is hard to detect. Asymptomatic spread is compounded by shortcomings in the quality of testing. Currently available tests are fairly good but do not reliably detect the coronavirus during the early phase of infection when viral concentrations can be low.Accordingly identifying infection in the low-risk population would be difficult. These people could go on to infect high-risk populations because it is impossible to prevent contact between them.Without sharp isolation of these two populations uncontrolled transmission in younger healthier people risks significant illness and death across vulnerable populations. Both computer models and one real-world experiment back up these fears.A recent U.K. modeling effort assessed a range of relaxed suppression strategies and showed thatnone achieved herd immunity while also keeping cases below hospital capacity . This study estimated a fourfold increase in mortality among older people if only older people practice social distancing and the remainder of the population does not.But epidemiologists dont have to rely on computer models alone. Sweden tried this approach to infection-based herd immunity . It did not go well. Swedens mortality rate is on par with Italys and substantially higher than its neighbors .Despite this risky approach Swedens economy still suffered  and on top of that nowhere near enough Swedes have been infected to get to herd immunity. As of August 2020 only about 7.1% of the country had contracted the virus  with the highest rate of 11.4% in Stockholm. This is far short of the estimated 50%-67% required to achieve herd immunity to the coronavirus.There is one final reason to doubt the efficacy of infection-based herd immunity: Contracting and recovering from the coronavirusmight not even give immunity for very long . One CDC report suggests that people appear to become susceptible to reinfection around 90 days after onset of infection.� The potentially short duration of immunity in some recovered patients would certainly throw a wrench in such a plan.When combined with the fact that the highest estimates for antibody prevalence suggest that less than 10% of the U.S. population has been infected  it would be a long dangerous and potentially impassable road to infection-based herd immunity.But there is another way one that has been done before: mass vaccination. Vaccine-induced herd immunity can end this pandemic the same way it has mostly ended measles  eradicated smallpox and nearly eradicated polio across the globe. Vaccines work.Until mass SARS-CoV-2 vaccination social distancing and use of face coverings with comprehensive case finding testing tracing and isolation are the safest approach.These tried-and-true public health measures will keep viral transmission low enough for people to work and attend school while managing smaller outbreaks as they arise. It isnt a return to a totally normal life but these approaches can balance social and economic needs with health.And then once a vaccine is widely available the country can move to herd immunity. Read: A national mask mandate could save 130000 lives by February study finds"";""Steven Albert"";""University of Pittsburgh"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"575;2020-10-28 12:00:00;38;""Targeting herd immunity from COVID-19 without a vaccine remains a deadly idea �� here��s why"";""Steven Albert"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""Dropping social distancing and mask wearing reopening restaurants and allowing large gatherings will result in overwhelmed hospital systems and skyrocketing mortalityGetty ImagesWhite House advisers have made the case recently for a natural� approach to herd immunity as a way to reduce the need for public health measures to control the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic while still keeping people safe. This idea is summed up in something called the Great Barrington Declaration  a proposal put out by the American Institute for Economic Research  a libertarian think tank.The basic idea behind this proposal is to let low-risk people in the U.S. socialize and naturally become infected with the coronavirus while vulnerable people would maintain social distancing and continue to shelter in place. Proponents of this strategy claim so-called natural herd immunity� will emerge and minimize harm from SARS-CoV-2 (and the COVID-19 disease it causes) while protecting the economy.Another way to get to herd immunity is through mass vaccinations as we have done with measles smallpox and largely with polio.A population has achieved herd immunity when a large enough percentage of individuals become immune to a disease. When this happens infected people are no longer able to transmit the disease and the epidemic will burn out.As a professor of behavioral and community health sciences  I am acutely aware that mental social and economic health are important for a person to thrive and that public health measures such as social distancing have imposed severe restrictions on daily life. But based on all the research and science available the leadership at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and I believe this infection-based approach would almost certainly fail.Dropping social distancing and mask wearing reopening restaurants and allowing large gatherings will result in overwhelmed hospital systems and skyrocketing mortality. Furthermore according to recent research this reckless approach is unlikely to even produce the herd immunity thats the whole point of such a plan.Vaccination in comparison offers a much safer and likely more effective approach.Herd immunity is an effective way to limit a deadly epidemic but it requires a huge number of people to be immune.The proportion of the population required for herd immunity depends on how infectious a virus is. This is measured by the basic reproduction number R0  how many people a single contagious person would infect in a susceptible population. For SARS-CoV-2 R0 is between 2 and 3.2 . At that level of infectiousness between 50% and 67% of the population would need to develop immunity through exposure or vaccination to contain the pandemic.The Great Barrington Declaration suggests the U.S. should aim for this immune threshold through infection rather than vaccination.To get to 60% immunity in the U.S. about 198 million individuals would need to be infected survive and develop resistance to the coronavirus. The demand on hospital care from infections would be overwhelming. And according to the WHO estimated infection fatality rate of 0.5%  that would mean nearly a million deaths if the country were to open up fully.The Great Barrington Declaration hinges on the idea that you can effectively keep healthy infected people away from those who are at higher risk. According to this plan if only healthy people are exposed to the virus then the U.S. could get to herd immunity and avoid mass deaths. This may sound reasonable but in the real world with this particular virus such a plan is simply not possible and ignores the risks to vulnerable people young and old.Read: Lilly signs deal with U.S. government for still-investigational COVID-19 antibody drugThe Great Barrington Declaration calls for allowing those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally ... while protecting those who are at highest risk.� Yet healthy people can get sick and asymptomatic transmission inadequate testing and difficulty isolating vulnerable people pose severe challenges to a neat separation based on risk.First the plan wrongly assumes that all healthy people can survive a coronavirus infection. Though at-risk groups do worse young healthy people are also dying and facing long-term issues from the illness.Second not all high-risk people can self-isolate. In some areas as much as 22% of the population have two or more chronic conditions that put them at higher risk for severe COVID-19. They might live with someone in the low-risk group and they still must shop work and do the other activities necessary for life. High-risk individuals will come in contact with the low-risk group.So can you simply guarantee that the low-risk people who interact with the high-risk group are uninfected? People who are infected but not showing symptoms may account for more than 30% of transmission . This asymptomatic spread is hard to detect. Asymptomatic spread is compounded by shortcomings in the quality of testing. Currently available tests are fairly good but do not reliably detect the coronavirus during the early phase of infection when viral concentrations can be low.Accordingly identifying infection in the low-risk population would be difficult. These people could go on to infect high-risk populations because it is impossible to prevent contact between them.Without sharp isolation of these two populations uncontrolled transmission in younger healthier people risks significant illness and death across vulnerable populations. Both computer models and one real-world experiment back up these fears.A recent U.K. modeling effort assessed a range of relaxed suppression strategies and showed thatnone achieved herd immunity while also keeping cases below hospital capacity . This study estimated a fourfold increase in mortality among older people if only older people practice social distancing and the remainder of the population does not.But epidemiologists dont have to rely on computer models alone. Sweden tried this approach to infection-based herd immunity . It did not go well. Swedens mortality rate is on par with Italys and substantially higher than its neighbors .Despite this risky approach Swedens economy still suffered  and on top of that nowhere near enough Swedes have been infected to get to herd immunity. As of August 2020 only about 7.1% of the country had contracted the virus  with the highest rate of 11.4% in Stockholm. This is far short of the estimated 50%-67% required to achieve herd immunity to the coronavirus.There is one final reason to doubt the efficacy of infection-based herd immunity: Contracting and recovering from the coronavirusmight not even give immunity for very long . One CDC report suggests that people appear to become susceptible to reinfection around 90 days after onset of infection.� The potentially short duration of immunity in some recovered patients would certainly throw a wrench in such a plan.When combined with the fact that the highest estimates for antibody prevalence suggest that less than 10% of the U.S. population has been infected  it would be a long dangerous and potentially impassable road to infection-based herd immunity.But there is another way one that has been done before: mass vaccination. Vaccine-induced herd immunity can end this pandemic the same way it has mostly ended measles  eradicated smallpox and nearly eradicated polio across the globe. Vaccines work.Until mass SARS-CoV-2 vaccination social distancing and use of face coverings with comprehensive case finding testing tracing and isolation are the safest approach.These tried-and-true public health measures will keep viral transmission low enough for people to work and attend school while managing smaller outbreaks as they arise. It isnt a return to a totally normal life but these approaches can balance social and economic needs with health.And then once a vaccine is widely available the country can move to herd immunity. Read: A national mask mandate could save 130000 lives by February study finds"";""Steven Albert"";""University of Pittsburgh"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"576;2020-10-28 12:00:00;38;""Targeting herd immunity from COVID-19 without a vaccine remains a deadly idea �� here��s why"";""Steven Albert"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""Dropping social distancing and mask wearing reopening restaurants and allowing large gatherings will result in overwhelmed hospital systems and skyrocketing mortalityGetty ImagesWhite House advisers have made the case recently for a natural� approach to herd immunity as a way to reduce the need for public health measures to control the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic while still keeping people safe. This idea is summed up in something called the Great Barrington Declaration  a proposal put out by the American Institute for Economic Research  a libertarian think tank.The basic idea behind this proposal is to let low-risk people in the U.S. socialize and naturally become infected with the coronavirus while vulnerable people would maintain social distancing and continue to shelter in place. Proponents of this strategy claim so-called natural herd immunity� will emerge and minimize harm from SARS-CoV-2 (and the COVID-19 disease it causes) while protecting the economy.Another way to get to herd immunity is through mass vaccinations as we have done with measles smallpox and largely with polio.A population has achieved herd immunity when a large enough percentage of individuals become immune to a disease. When this happens infected people are no longer able to transmit the disease and the epidemic will burn out.As a professor of behavioral and community health sciences  I am acutely aware that mental social and economic health are important for a person to thrive and that public health measures such as social distancing have imposed severe restrictions on daily life. But based on all the research and science available the leadership at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and I believe this infection-based approach would almost certainly fail.Dropping social distancing and mask wearing reopening restaurants and allowing large gatherings will result in overwhelmed hospital systems and skyrocketing mortality. Furthermore according to recent research this reckless approach is unlikely to even produce the herd immunity thats the whole point of such a plan.Vaccination in comparison offers a much safer and likely more effective approach.Herd immunity is an effective way to limit a deadly epidemic but it requires a huge number of people to be immune.The proportion of the population required for herd immunity depends on how infectious a virus is. This is measured by the basic reproduction number R0  how many people a single contagious person would infect in a susceptible population. For SARS-CoV-2 R0 is between 2 and 3.2 . At that level of infectiousness between 50% and 67% of the population would need to develop immunity through exposure or vaccination to contain the pandemic.The Great Barrington Declaration suggests the U.S. should aim for this immune threshold through infection rather than vaccination.To get to 60% immunity in the U.S. about 198 million individuals would need to be infected survive and develop resistance to the coronavirus. The demand on hospital care from infections would be overwhelming. And according to the WHO estimated infection fatality rate of 0.5%  that would mean nearly a million deaths if the country were to open up fully.The Great Barrington Declaration hinges on the idea that you can effectively keep healthy infected people away from those who are at higher risk. According to this plan if only healthy people are exposed to the virus then the U.S. could get to herd immunity and avoid mass deaths. This may sound reasonable but in the real world with this particular virus such a plan is simply not possible and ignores the risks to vulnerable people young and old.Read: Lilly signs deal with U.S. government for still-investigational COVID-19 antibody drugThe Great Barrington Declaration calls for allowing those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally ... while protecting those who are at highest risk.� Yet healthy people can get sick and asymptomatic transmission inadequate testing and difficulty isolating vulnerable people pose severe challenges to a neat separation based on risk.First the plan wrongly assumes that all healthy people can survive a coronavirus infection. Though at-risk groups do worse young healthy people are also dying and facing long-term issues from the illness.Second not all high-risk people can self-isolate. In some areas as much as 22% of the population have two or more chronic conditions that put them at higher risk for severe COVID-19. They might live with someone in the low-risk group and they still must shop work and do the other activities necessary for life. High-risk individuals will come in contact with the low-risk group.So can you simply guarantee that the low-risk people who interact with the high-risk group are uninfected? People who are infected but not showing symptoms may account for more than 30% of transmission . This asymptomatic spread is hard to detect. Asymptomatic spread is compounded by shortcomings in the quality of testing. Currently available tests are fairly good but do not reliably detect the coronavirus during the early phase of infection when viral concentrations can be low.Accordingly identifying infection in the low-risk population would be difficult. These people could go on to infect high-risk populations because it is impossible to prevent contact between them.Without sharp isolation of these two populations uncontrolled transmission in younger healthier people risks significant illness and death across vulnerable populations. Both computer models and one real-world experiment back up these fears.A recent U.K. modeling effort assessed a range of relaxed suppression strategies and showed thatnone achieved herd immunity while also keeping cases below hospital capacity . This study estimated a fourfold increase in mortality among older people if only older people practice social distancing and the remainder of the population does not.But epidemiologists dont have to rely on computer models alone. Sweden tried this approach to infection-based herd immunity . It did not go well. Swedens mortality rate is on par with Italys and substantially higher than its neighbors .Despite this risky approach Swedens economy still suffered  and on top of that nowhere near enough Swedes have been infected to get to herd immunity. As of August 2020 only about 7.1% of the country had contracted the virus  with the highest rate of 11.4% in Stockholm. This is far short of the estimated 50%-67% required to achieve herd immunity to the coronavirus.There is one final reason to doubt the efficacy of infection-based herd immunity: Contracting and recovering from the coronavirusmight not even give immunity for very long . One CDC report suggests that people appear to become susceptible to reinfection around 90 days after onset of infection.� The potentially short duration of immunity in some recovered patients would certainly throw a wrench in such a plan.When combined with the fact that the highest estimates for antibody prevalence suggest that less than 10% of the U.S. population has been infected  it would be a long dangerous and potentially impassable road to infection-based herd immunity.But there is another way one that has been done before: mass vaccination. Vaccine-induced herd immunity can end this pandemic the same way it has mostly ended measles  eradicated smallpox and nearly eradicated polio across the globe. Vaccines work.Until mass SARS-CoV-2 vaccination social distancing and use of face coverings with comprehensive case finding testing tracing and isolation are the safest approach.These tried-and-true public health measures will keep viral transmission low enough for people to work and attend school while managing smaller outbreaks as they arise. It isnt a return to a totally normal life but these approaches can balance social and economic needs with health.And then once a vaccine is widely available the country can move to herd immunity. Read: A national mask mandate could save 130000 lives by February study finds"";""Steven Albert"";""University of Pittsburgh"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"571;2020-10-28 12:00:00;38;""Targeting herd immunity from COVID-19 without a vaccine remains a deadly idea �� here��s why"";""Steven Albert"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""The Great Barrington Declaration calls for allowing those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally ... while protecting those who are at highest risk.�"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"572;2020-10-28 12:00:00;38;""Targeting herd immunity from COVID-19 without a vaccine remains a deadly idea �� here��s why"";""Steven Albert"";""MarketWatch"";"""";"""";""The Great Barrington Declaration calls for allowing those who are at minimal risk of death to live their lives normally ... while protecting those who are at highest risk.�"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"568;2020-10-28 12:00:00;151;""The dangerous myth that herd immunity is the solution"";""Kevin Chow"";""Pasadena Star-News (Calif.)"";"""";"""";""Increasingly Ive seen people argue that we should simply let nature run its course and allow the United States to achieve COVID-19 herd immunity.Some point out that when they were youngpeople never stayed home or wore masks for fear of mumps or measles!� That claim is the product of selective nostalgic recall as social disruption due to epidemic disease in the United States is well documented. Polio outbreaks for example regularly prompted school closures beach closures and community quarantines.Still the underlying argument that simply allowing the virus to burn through the population will result in ending this pandemic swiftly is understandably appealing. Lets explore that. Mumps and measles have a case fatality ratio (CFR) of 0.2% (measles) and 0.02% (mumps). COVID-19 however has a case fatality ratio of 2.8% in the U.S. based on Johns Hopkins data as of Oct. 13. In addition CFR does not take into account debilitating effects other than death. Mumps for example causes testicular atrophy and impaired sperm production in up to half of all males who develop mumps orchitis. Likewise COVID-19 has a number of lasting or lingering effects. Observed injuries include lasting damage to the heart lungs liver kidneys and brain.Throughout history the rich would flee cities while outbreaks occurred. Quarantines would be imposed on entire villages and towns the poor who could not afford to live elsewhere either recovered or died. When there were no vulnerable people left to die the outbreak was over and the rich came back from their country estates. Infectious disease contributed in no small way to an average European life expectancy of only 45 years until 1850 when the work of scientists like Daniel Sutton and Edward Jenner ushered in the age of vaccines.Even so U.S. life expectancy remained below 50 until 1909. Our resources in 2020 are light years beyond that of even 1911 when Dr. Wu Lien Teh invented the first effective PPE mask to combat the Manchurian plague. We have affordable respirators that can filter out 99.9% of particles as small as .3 microns we have a robust testing system that is capable of testing more than a million Americans a day we have modern plastics disinfectants and negative-pressure air systems with HEPA filters. Our economy is one that increasingly runs on deliveries ordered online while technologies make it possible for people to work communicate and learn online.Meanwhile international work on a vaccine moves ahead at extraordinary speed. As of Oct. 18 51 candidates are in Phase 1-3 trials. Four of those Phase 3 candidates are already enrolling adult volunteers. Even without a vaccine we have seen other nations including Taiwan Germany and New Zealand employ these resources to bring transmission down to the point where people can safely resume normal activities with only basic precautions such as masks and handwashing.We have an incredible array of proven tools to help us control and perhaps even eradicate the novel coronavirus. The enemy is far from unstoppable. I would argue then that the ancient attritive strategy of letting the people get sick until there is no one left to infect ought to be our last resort. Understand that 2.8% of the U.S. population is 9.24 million people. Half of that is still nearly 5 million.An eighth of that is still 1.25 million or the entire populations of Vermont and Wyoming combined. How would our economy fare with casualties like that? How would our economy contend with the corollary hundreds of thousands or millions of people with lasting injury? Rather than finding out might we not bear the inconvenience of masks and distancing a little longer?Kevin Chow of Monterey Park is a registered Republican former NRA member and 20-year educator in Los Angeles."";""Kevin Chow"";"""";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"569;2020-10-28 12:00:00;151;""The dangerous myth that herd immunity is the solution"";""Kevin Chow"";""Pasadena Star-News (Calif.)"";"""";"""";""Increasingly Ive seen people argue that we should simply let nature run its course and allow the United States to achieve COVID-19 herd immunity.Some point out that when they were youngpeople never stayed home or wore masks for fear of mumps or measles!� That claim is the product of selective nostalgic recall as social disruption due to epidemic disease in the United States is well documented. Polio outbreaks for example regularly prompted school closures beach closures and community quarantines.Still the underlying argument that simply allowing the virus to burn through the population will result in ending this pandemic swiftly is understandably appealing. Lets explore that. Mumps and measles have a case fatality ratio (CFR) of 0.2% (measles) and 0.02% (mumps). COVID-19 however has a case fatality ratio of 2.8% in the U.S. based on Johns Hopkins data as of Oct. 13. In addition CFR does not take into account debilitating effects other than death. Mumps for example causes testicular atrophy and impaired sperm production in up to half of all males who develop mumps orchitis. Likewise COVID-19 has a number of lasting or lingering effects. Observed injuries include lasting damage to the heart lungs liver kidneys and brain.Throughout history the rich would flee cities while outbreaks occurred. Quarantines would be imposed on entire villages and towns the poor who could not afford to live elsewhere either recovered or died. When there were no vulnerable people left to die the outbreak was over and the rich came back from their country estates. Infectious disease contributed in no small way to an average European life expectancy of only 45 years until 1850 when the work of scientists like Daniel Sutton and Edward Jenner ushered in the age of vaccines.Even so U.S. life expectancy remained below 50 until 1909. Our resources in 2020 are light years beyond that of even 1911 when Dr. Wu Lien Teh invented the first effective PPE mask to combat the Manchurian plague. We have affordable respirators that can filter out 99.9% of particles as small as .3 microns we have a robust testing system that is capable of testing more than a million Americans a day we have modern plastics disinfectants and negative-pressure air systems with HEPA filters. Our economy is one that increasingly runs on deliveries ordered online while technologies make it possible for people to work communicate and learn online.Meanwhile international work on a vaccine moves ahead at extraordinary speed. As of Oct. 18 51 candidates are in Phase 1-3 trials. Four of those Phase 3 candidates are already enrolling adult volunteers. Even without a vaccine we have seen other nations including Taiwan Germany and New Zealand employ these resources to bring transmission down to the point where people can safely resume normal activities with only basic precautions such as masks and handwashing.We have an incredible array of proven tools to help us control and perhaps even eradicate the novel coronavirus. The enemy is far from unstoppable. I would argue then that the ancient attritive strategy of letting the people get sick until there is no one left to infect ought to be our last resort. Understand that 2.8% of the U.S. population is 9.24 million people. Half of that is still nearly 5 million.An eighth of that is still 1.25 million or the entire populations of Vermont and Wyoming combined. How would our economy fare with casualties like that? How would our economy contend with the corollary hundreds of thousands or millions of people with lasting injury? Rather than finding out might we not bear the inconvenience of masks and distancing a little longer?Kevin Chow of Monterey Park is a registered Republican former NRA member and 20-year educator in Los Angeles."";""Kevin Chow"";"""";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"570;2020-10-28 12:00:00;151;""The dangerous myth that herd immunity is the solution"";""Kevin Chow"";""Pasadena Star-News (Calif.)"";"""";"""";""Increasingly Ive seen people argue that we should simply let nature run its course and allow the United States to achieve COVID-19 herd immunity.Some point out that when they were youngpeople never stayed home or wore masks for fear of mumps or measles!� That claim is the product of selective nostalgic recall as social disruption due to epidemic disease in the United States is well documented. Polio outbreaks for example regularly prompted school closures beach closures and community quarantines.Still the underlying argument that simply allowing the virus to burn through the population will result in ending this pandemic swiftly is understandably appealing. Lets explore that. Mumps and measles have a case fatality ratio (CFR) of 0.2% (measles) and 0.02% (mumps). COVID-19 however has a case fatality ratio of 2.8% in the U.S. based on Johns Hopkins data as of Oct. 13. In addition CFR does not take into account debilitating effects other than death. Mumps for example causes testicular atrophy and impaired sperm production in up to half of all males who develop mumps orchitis. Likewise COVID-19 has a number of lasting or lingering effects. Observed injuries include lasting damage to the heart lungs liver kidneys and brain.Throughout history the rich would flee cities while outbreaks occurred. Quarantines would be imposed on entire villages and towns the poor who could not afford to live elsewhere either recovered or died. When there were no vulnerable people left to die the outbreak was over and the rich came back from their country estates. Infectious disease contributed in no small way to an average European life expectancy of only 45 years until 1850 when the work of scientists like Daniel Sutton and Edward Jenner ushered in the age of vaccines.Even so U.S. life expectancy remained below 50 until 1909. Our resources in 2020 are light years beyond that of even 1911 when Dr. Wu Lien Teh invented the first effective PPE mask to combat the Manchurian plague. We have affordable respirators that can filter out 99.9% of particles as small as .3 microns we have a robust testing system that is capable of testing more than a million Americans a day we have modern plastics disinfectants and negative-pressure air systems with HEPA filters. Our economy is one that increasingly runs on deliveries ordered online while technologies make it possible for people to work communicate and learn online.Meanwhile international work on a vaccine moves ahead at extraordinary speed. As of Oct. 18 51 candidates are in Phase 1-3 trials. Four of those Phase 3 candidates are already enrolling adult volunteers. Even without a vaccine we have seen other nations including Taiwan Germany and New Zealand employ these resources to bring transmission down to the point where people can safely resume normal activities with only basic precautions such as masks and handwashing.We have an incredible array of proven tools to help us control and perhaps even eradicate the novel coronavirus. The enemy is far from unstoppable. I would argue then that the ancient attritive strategy of letting the people get sick until there is no one left to infect ought to be our last resort. Understand that 2.8% of the U.S. population is 9.24 million people. Half of that is still nearly 5 million.An eighth of that is still 1.25 million or the entire populations of Vermont and Wyoming combined. How would our economy fare with casualties like that? How would our economy contend with the corollary hundreds of thousands or millions of people with lasting injury? Rather than finding out might we not bear the inconvenience of masks and distancing a little longer?Kevin Chow of Monterey Park is a registered Republican former NRA member and 20-year educator in Los Angeles."";""Kevin Chow"";"""";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"102;2020-10-29 12:00:00;34;""Viewpoint: ''Herd immunity'' is a losing strategy"";""William Foege"";""The Evansville Courier"";"""";"""";""That turned out not to be the case then and a herd immunity approach is likely to be inadequate now in the battle against the novel coronavirus.The current discussions of herd immunity often concern hypothetical possibilities and are not based on evidence. Even when science-based discourse is presented it is often one- dimensional."";""William Foege"";""Emory University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"108;2020-10-29 12:00:00;34;""Viewpoint: ''Herd immunity'' is a losing strategy"";""William Foege"";""The Evansville Courier"";"""";"""";""Herd immunity turned out to be an ineffective strategy even for smallpox. Suggesting such a losing strategy for coronavirus is to ask for more suffering more deaths and more social disruption.Such a program would prove wrong those who said our current program couldnt get worse."";""William Foege"";""Emory University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"105;2020-10-29 12:00:00;36;""Former CDC director: For COVID-19 attempt to build ''herd immunity'' is a losing strategy"";""William Foege"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""That turned out not to be the case then and a herd immunity approach is likely to be inadequate now in the battle against the novel coronavirus.The current discussions of herd immunity often concern hypothetical possibilities and are not based on evidence. Even when science-based discourse is presented it is often one dimensional."";""William Foege"";""Emory University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"106;2020-10-29 12:00:00;36;""Former CDC director: For COVID-19 attempt to build ''herd immunity'' is a losing strategy"";""William Foege"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""Herd immunity turned out to be an ineffective strategy even for smallpox. Suggesting such a losing strategy for coronavirus is to ask for more suffering more deaths and more social disruption. Such a program would prove wrong those who said our current program couldnt get worse."";""William Foege"";""Emory University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"109;2020-10-29 12:00:00;37;""Trump has been publicly indicating his openness to a herd immunity strategy for months"";""Philip Bump"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""At briefing April 6 for example Fauci specifically stated that he hoped 'we don't have so many people infected that we actually have that herd immunity.'"";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"110;2020-10-29 12:00:00;37;""Trump has been publicly indicating his openness to a herd immunity strategy for months"";""Philip Bump"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'I think we could have followed that approach' Trump said. 'And if we did follow that approach I think we might have 2 million people dead.'"";""Donald Trump"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"111;2020-10-29 12:00:00;37;""Trump has been publicly indicating his openness to a herd immunity strategy for months"";""Philip Bump"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'We've learned that young people do very well. Very well. Incredibly well' he said during a speech in Michigan. 'Older people especially older people that have problems they don't do well at all. So we have to protect those people. And we want to get everybody now safely back to work. And we're going to do that.'"";""Donald Trump"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"112;2020-10-29 12:00:00;37;""Trump has been publicly indicating his openness to a herd immunity strategy for months"";""Philip Bump"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'We've learned that young people do very well. Very well. Incredibly well' he said during a speech in Michigan. 'Older people especially older people that have problems they don't do well at all. So we have to protect those people. And we want to get everybody now safely back to work. And we're going to do that.'This became something of a mantra: protect the elderly worry less about younger people. On May 29 he said that explicitly.'We've [had] a very powerful strategy on nursing homes for quite a while' he said at a White House event focused on the economy. 'The best strategy for public health is to aggressively protect the most vulnerable while allowing younger and healthier Americans to work safely.'"";""Donald Trump"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"113;2020-10-29 12:00:00;37;""Trump has been publicly indicating his openness to a herd immunity strategy for months"";""Philip Bump"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'We expected more cases with more social mingling. And of course as your show and others have seen we had a lot of social mingling in the last few weeks' Atlas said. 'And with that social mingling we're going to see more cases. By the way with more testing we're going to detect more cases.'But the fact is the overwhelming majority of these cases are younger healthier people' he continued. 'These people do not have a significant problem. They do not have the serious complications. They do not die. And so it's fantastic news that we have a lot of cases but we don't see deaths going up. And what that means is that A we're doing a better job protecting the vulnerable. B we're in good shape here.'We like the fact that there's a lot of cases in low-risk populations because that's exactly how we're going to get herd immunity' Atlas said. 'Population immunity.' "";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"114;2020-10-29 12:00:00;37;""Trump has been publicly indicating his openness to a herd immunity strategy for months"";""Philip Bump"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'We expected more cases with more social mingling. And of course as your show and others have seen we had a lot of social mingling in the last few weeks' Atlas said. 'And with that social mingling we're going to see more cases. By the way with more testing we're going to detect more cases.'But the fact is the overwhelming majority of these cases are younger healthier people' he continued. 'These people do not have a significant problem. They do not have the serious complications. They do not die. And so it's fantastic news that we have a lot of cases but we don't see deaths going up. And what that means is that A we're doing a better job protecting the vulnerable. B we're in good shape here.'We like the fact that there's a lot of cases in low-risk populations because that's exactly how we're going to get herd immunity' Atlas said. 'Population immunity.' "";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"115;2020-10-29 12:00:00;37;""Trump has been publicly indicating his openness to a herd immunity strategy for months"";""Philip Bump"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'We're going to be okay' Trump said of the virus during a town hall event 'and it is going away. And it's probably going to go away now a lot faster because of the vaccines. It would go away without the vaccine George but it's going to go away a lot faster with it.'"";""Donald Trump"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"116;2020-10-29 12:00:00;37;""Trump has been publicly indicating his openness to a herd immunity strategy for months"";""Philip Bump"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'And many deaths' Stephanopoulos interjected."";""George Stephanopoulos"";""ABC News"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"117;2020-10-29 12:00:00;37;""Trump has been publicly indicating his openness to a herd immunity strategy for months"";""Philip Bump"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'And many deaths' Stephanopoulos interjected."";""George Stephanopoulos"";""ABC News"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"407;2020-10-29 12:00:00;37;""Trump has been publicly indicating his openness to a herd immunity strategy for months"";""Philip Bump"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'And many deaths' Stephanopoulos interjected."";""George Stephanopoulos"";""ABC News"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"118;2020-10-29 12:00:00;37;""Trump has been publicly indicating his openness to a herd immunity strategy for months"";""Philip Bump"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'Herd immunity has never been a strategy here at the White House' she said. 'The president last night was noting herd immunity is over a period of time. A country a society can reach herd immunity. It's a fact. It was not a strategy ever presented here at the White House.'"";""Kayleigh McEnany"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"119;2020-10-29 12:00:00;37;""Trump has been publicly indicating his openness to a herd immunity strategy for months"";""Philip Bump"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'I have never advocated a herd immunity strategy' he said. 'There's never been a desire to have cases spread through the community. That's a false story. I've denied that multiple times. And I just don't � that false story doesn't seem to die. But that's a fact.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"120;2020-10-29 12:00:00;37;""Trump has been publicly indicating his openness to a herd immunity strategy for months"";""Philip Bump"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'What they mean by 'herd immunity strategy' is survival of the fittest let the infection spread through the community and develop a population immunity' he insisted. 'That's never been the policy that I have advised. It's never even been discussed inside the White House not even for a single minute. And that's never been the policy of the president of the United States or anybody else here. I've said that many many times.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"121;2020-10-29 12:00:00;37;""Trump has been publicly indicating his openness to a herd immunity strategy for months"";""Philip Bump"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'My advice is exactly this. It's a three-pronged strategy' he said. 'Number one: aggressive protection of high risk individuals and the vulnerable (typically the elderly and those with co-morbidities). Number two: allocate resources so that we prevent hospital overcrowding so that people can be treated for this virus and get the other serious medical care that is needed. Number three: open schools society and businesses because keeping them closed is enormously harmful � in fact it kills people.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"122;2020-10-29 12:00:00;37;""Trump has been publicly indicating his openness to a herd immunity strategy for months"";""Philip Bump"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'My advice is exactly this. It's a three-pronged strategy' he said. 'Number one: aggressive protection of high risk individuals and the vulnerable (typically the elderly and those with co-morbidities). Number two: allocate resources so that we prevent hospital overcrowding so that people can be treated for this virus and get the other serious medical care that is needed. Number three: open schools society and businesses because keeping them closed is enormously harmful � in fact it kills people.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"123;2020-10-29 12:00:00;37;""Trump has been publicly indicating his openness to a herd immunity strategy for months"";""Philip Bump"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'My advice is exactly this. It's a three-pronged strategy' he said. 'Number one: aggressive protection of high risk individuals and the vulnerable (typically the elderly and those with co-morbidities). Number two: allocate resources so that we prevent hospital overcrowding so that people can be treated for this virus and get the other serious medical care that is needed. Number three: open schools society and businesses because keeping them closed is enormously harmful � in fact it kills people.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"408;2020-10-29 12:00:00;37;""Trump has been publicly indicating his openness to a herd immunity strategy for months"";""Philip Bump"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'My advice is exactly this. It's a three-pronged strategy' he said. 'Number one: aggressive protection of high risk individuals and the vulnerable (typically the elderly and those with co-morbidities). Number two: allocate resources so that we prevent hospital overcrowding so that people can be treated for this virus and get the other serious medical care that is needed. Number three: open schools society and businesses because keeping them closed is enormously harmful � in fact it kills people.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"101;2020-10-30 12:00:00;33;""Why ''herd immunity'' won''t work against COVID-19opinion"";""William Foege"";""Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise"";"""";"""";""That turned out not to be the case then and a herd immunity approach is likely to be inadequate now in the battle against the novel coronavirus.The current discussions of herd immunity often concern hypothetical possibilities and are not based on evidence. Even when science-based discourse is presented it is often one dimensional."";""William Foege"";""Emory University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"107;2020-10-30 12:00:00;33;""Why ''herd immunity'' won''t work against COVID-19opinion"";""William Foege"";""Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise"";"""";"""";""Herd immunity turned out to be an ineffective strategy even for smallpox. Suggesting such a losing strategy for coronavirus is to ask for more suffering more deaths and more social disruption.Such a program would prove wrong those who said our current program couldnt get worse."";""William Foege"";""Emory University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"103;2020-10-30 12:00:00;35;""The idea of herd immunity to manage the coronavirus should ring alarm bells"";""Rebecca Kaplan"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""NIH Director Francis Collins condemned conronavirus herd immunity-based responses calling them 'fringe' and 'dangerous'"";""Francis Collins"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"104;2020-10-30 12:00:00;35;""The idea of herd immunity to manage the coronavirus should ring alarm bells"";""Rebecca Kaplan"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""while World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called it 'scientifically and ethically problematic.'"";""Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus"";""World Health Organization"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"95;2020-10-31 12:00:00;150;""In the current covid-19 pandemic the first goal is to get control of the virus."";""Steven Albert"";""Pittsburgh Tribune-Review"";"""";"""";""The recent Great Barrington Declaration says no. It proposes restrictions on contact only for older people and others at high risk of severe disease. The remainder of the population would be free to mix at will with no restrictions on restaurants workplaces schools or size of gatherings and no face coverings. This strategy it is claimed will produce natural herd immunity� that is widespread mild infections leading to accelerated population immunity."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"92;2020-10-31 12:00:00;150;""In the current covid-19 pandemic the first goal is to get control of the virus."";""Steven Albert"";""Pittsburgh Tribune-Review"";"""";"""";""Unfortunately this approach will fail. Dropping public health suppression strategies will result in overwhelmed hospital systems and skyrocketing mortality and will not produce the desired herd immunity. Here are some reasons why."";""Steven Albert"";""University of Pittsburgh"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"93;2020-10-31 12:00:00;150;""In the current covid-19 pandemic the first goal is to get control of the virus."";""Steven Albert"";""Pittsburgh Tribune-Review"";"""";"""";""Uncontrolled transmission in younger healthier people risks significant morbidity and mortality across the whole population. It is impossible to prevent contact between high risk� and low risk� populations especially when 30% of the population can be considered high risk (i.e. with multiple preexisting conditions).Transmission of the disease by people who are infected and yet not showing symptoms is substantial accounting for an estimated 30% of transmission. This asymptomatic spread is substantial and hard to detect. Our tests do not reliably detect virus in this key period. The low risk population will almost certainly infect people at higher risk."";""Steven Albert"";""University of Pittsburgh"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"94;2020-10-31 12:00:00;150;""In the current covid-19 pandemic the first goal is to get control of the virus."";""Steven Albert"";""Pittsburgh Tribune-Review"";"""";"""";""Uncontrolled transmission in younger healthier people risks significant morbidity and mortality across the whole population. It is impossible to prevent contact between high risk� and low risk� populations especially when 30% of the population can be considered high risk (i.e. with multiple preexisting conditions).Transmission of the disease by people who are infected and yet not showing symptoms is substantial accounting for an estimated 30% of transmission. This asymptomatic spread is substantial and hard to detect. Our tests do not reliably detect virus in this key period. The low risk population will almost certainly infect people at higher risk."";""Steven Albert"";""University of Pittsburgh"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"565;2020-11-01 12:00:00;31;""The dangerous myth that herd immunity is the solution"";""Kevin Chow"";""Whittier Daily News"";"""";"""";""Some point out that when they were youngpeople never stayed home or woremasks for fear of mumps or measles!� That claim is the product of selective nostalgic recall as social disruption due to epidemic disease in the United States is well documented. Polio outbreaks for example regularly prompted school closures beach closures and community quarantines. Still the underlying argument that simply allowing the virus to burn through thepopulation will result in ending this pandemic swiftly is understandablyappealing. Letʼs explore that. Mumps and measles have a case fatality ratio (CFR)of 0.2% (measles) and 0.02% (mumps). COVID-19 however has a case fatality ratioof 2.8% in the U.S. based on Johns Hopkins data as of Oct. 13. In addition CFRdoes not take into account debilitating effects other than death. Mumps forexample causes testicular atrophy and impaired sperm production in up to half ofall males who develop mumps orchitis. Likewise COVID-19 has a number oflasting or lingering effects. Observed injuries include lasting damage to the heartlungs liver kidneys and brain.Throughout history the rich would flee cities while outbreaks occurred.Quarantines would be imposed on entire villages and towns the poor who couldnot afford to live elsewhere either recovered or died. When there were novulnerable people left to die the outbreak was over and the rich came back fromtheir country estates. Infectious disease contributed in no small way to an averageEuropean life expectancy of only 45 years until 1850 when the work of scientistslike Daniel Sutton and Edward Jenner ushered in the age of vaccines.Even so U.S. life expectancy remained below 50 until 1909. Our resources in 2020are light years beyond that of even 1911 when Dr. Wu Lien Teh invented the firsteffective PPE mask to combat the Manchurian plague. We have affordablerespirators that can filter out 99.9% of particles as small as .3 microns we have arobust testing system that is capable of testing more than a million Americans aday we have modern plastics disinfectants and negative-pressure air systemswith HEPA filters. Our economy is one that increasingly runs on deliveriesordered online while technologies make it possible for people to workcommunicate and learn online.Meanwhile international work on a vaccine moves ahead at extraordinary speed.As of Oct. 18 51 candidates are in Phase 1-3 trials. Four of those Phase 3candidates are already enrolling adult volunteers. Even without a vaccine we haveseen other nations including Taiwan Germany and New Zealand employ theseresources to bring transmission down to the point where people can safelyresume normal activities with only basic precautions such as masks andhandwashing. We have an incredible array of proven tools to help us control and perhaps eveneradicate the novel coronavirus. The enemy is far from unstoppable. I would argue then that the ancient attritive strategy of letting the people get sick until there is no one left to infect ought to be our last resort. Understand that 2.8% of the U.S. population is 9.24 million people. Half of that is still nearly 5 million. An eighth of that is still 1.25 million or the entire populations of Vermont andWyoming combined. How would our economy fare with casualties like that? Howwould our economy contend with the corollary hundreds of thousands ormillions of people with lasting injury? Rather than finding out might we not bearthe inconvenience of masks and distancing a little longer?"";""Kevin Chow"";"""";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"566;2020-11-01 12:00:00;31;""The dangerous myth that herd immunity is the solution"";""Kevin Chow"";""Whittier Daily News"";"""";"""";""Some point out that when they were youngpeople never stayed home or woremasks for fear of mumps or measles!� That claim is the product of selective nostalgic recall as social disruption due to epidemic disease in the United States is well documented. Polio outbreaks for example regularly prompted school closures beach closures and community quarantines. Still the underlying argument that simply allowing the virus to burn through thepopulation will result in ending this pandemic swiftly is understandablyappealing. Letʼs explore that. Mumps and measles have a case fatality ratio (CFR)of 0.2% (measles) and 0.02% (mumps). COVID-19 however has a case fatality ratioof 2.8% in the U.S. based on Johns Hopkins data as of Oct. 13. In addition CFRdoes not take into account debilitating effects other than death. Mumps forexample causes testicular atrophy and impaired sperm production in up to half ofall males who develop mumps orchitis. Likewise COVID-19 has a number oflasting or lingering effects. Observed injuries include lasting damage to the heartlungs liver kidneys and brain.Throughout history the rich would flee cities while outbreaks occurred.Quarantines would be imposed on entire villages and towns the poor who couldnot afford to live elsewhere either recovered or died. When there were novulnerable people left to die the outbreak was over and the rich came back fromtheir country estates. Infectious disease contributed in no small way to an averageEuropean life expectancy of only 45 years until 1850 when the work of scientistslike Daniel Sutton and Edward Jenner ushered in the age of vaccines.Even so U.S. life expectancy remained below 50 until 1909. Our resources in 2020are light years beyond that of even 1911 when Dr. Wu Lien Teh invented the firsteffective PPE mask to combat the Manchurian plague. We have affordablerespirators that can filter out 99.9% of particles as small as .3 microns we have arobust testing system that is capable of testing more than a million Americans aday we have modern plastics disinfectants and negative-pressure air systemswith HEPA filters. Our economy is one that increasingly runs on deliveriesordered online while technologies make it possible for people to workcommunicate and learn online.Meanwhile international work on a vaccine moves ahead at extraordinary speed.As of Oct. 18 51 candidates are in Phase 1-3 trials. Four of those Phase 3candidates are already enrolling adult volunteers. Even without a vaccine we haveseen other nations including Taiwan Germany and New Zealand employ theseresources to bring transmission down to the point where people can safelyresume normal activities with only basic precautions such as masks andhandwashing. We have an incredible array of proven tools to help us control and perhaps eveneradicate the novel coronavirus. The enemy is far from unstoppable. I would argue then that the ancient attritive strategy of letting the people get sick until there is no one left to infect ought to be our last resort. Understand that 2.8% of the U.S. population is 9.24 million people. Half of that is still nearly 5 million. An eighth of that is still 1.25 million or the entire populations of Vermont andWyoming combined. How would our economy fare with casualties like that? Howwould our economy contend with the corollary hundreds of thousands ormillions of people with lasting injury? Rather than finding out might we not bearthe inconvenience of masks and distancing a little longer?"";""Kevin Chow"";"""";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"567;2020-11-01 12:00:00;31;""The dangerous myth that herd immunity is the solution"";""Kevin Chow"";""Whittier Daily News"";"""";"""";""Some point out that when they were youngpeople never stayed home or woremasks for fear of mumps or measles!� That claim is the product of selective nostalgic recall as social disruption due to epidemic disease in the United States is well documented. Polio outbreaks for example regularly prompted school closures beach closures and community quarantines. Still the underlying argument that simply allowing the virus to burn through thepopulation will result in ending this pandemic swiftly is understandablyappealing. Letʼs explore that. Mumps and measles have a case fatality ratio (CFR)of 0.2% (measles) and 0.02% (mumps). COVID-19 however has a case fatality ratioof 2.8% in the U.S. based on Johns Hopkins data as of Oct. 13. In addition CFRdoes not take into account debilitating effects other than death. Mumps forexample causes testicular atrophy and impaired sperm production in up to half ofall males who develop mumps orchitis. Likewise COVID-19 has a number oflasting or lingering effects. Observed injuries include lasting damage to the heartlungs liver kidneys and brain.Throughout history the rich would flee cities while outbreaks occurred.Quarantines would be imposed on entire villages and towns the poor who couldnot afford to live elsewhere either recovered or died. When there were novulnerable people left to die the outbreak was over and the rich came back fromtheir country estates. Infectious disease contributed in no small way to an averageEuropean life expectancy of only 45 years until 1850 when the work of scientistslike Daniel Sutton and Edward Jenner ushered in the age of vaccines.Even so U.S. life expectancy remained below 50 until 1909. Our resources in 2020are light years beyond that of even 1911 when Dr. Wu Lien Teh invented the firsteffective PPE mask to combat the Manchurian plague. We have affordablerespirators that can filter out 99.9% of particles as small as .3 microns we have arobust testing system that is capable of testing more than a million Americans aday we have modern plastics disinfectants and negative-pressure air systemswith HEPA filters. Our economy is one that increasingly runs on deliveriesordered online while technologies make it possible for people to workcommunicate and learn online.Meanwhile international work on a vaccine moves ahead at extraordinary speed.As of Oct. 18 51 candidates are in Phase 1-3 trials. Four of those Phase 3candidates are already enrolling adult volunteers. Even without a vaccine we haveseen other nations including Taiwan Germany and New Zealand employ theseresources to bring transmission down to the point where people can safelyresume normal activities with only basic precautions such as masks andhandwashing. We have an incredible array of proven tools to help us control and perhaps eveneradicate the novel coronavirus. The enemy is far from unstoppable. I would argue then that the ancient attritive strategy of letting the people get sick until there is no one left to infect ought to be our last resort. Understand that 2.8% of the U.S. population is 9.24 million people. Half of that is still nearly 5 million. An eighth of that is still 1.25 million or the entire populations of Vermont andWyoming combined. How would our economy fare with casualties like that? Howwould our economy contend with the corollary hundreds of thousands ormillions of people with lasting injury? Rather than finding out might we not bearthe inconvenience of masks and distancing a little longer?"";""Kevin Chow"";"""";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Individual""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"96;2020-11-01 12:00:00;32;""Talk of �herd immunity�� alarms UA coronavirus researchers"";""Patty Machelor"";""The Arizona Daily Star"";"""";"""";""It follows that it remains critically important to follow all public-health precautions on distancing mask-wearing and hygiene at least until we get a reliable and efficacious vaccine� said Nikolich-Zugich also co-director of the UAs Center on Aging."";""Janko Nikolich-Zugich"";""University of Arizona"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"97;2020-11-01 12:00:00;32;""Talk of �herd immunity�� alarms UA coronavirus researchers"";""Patty Machelor"";""The Arizona Daily Star"";"""";"""";""A national petition from early October called �The Great Barrington Declaration calls for focused protection� that would allow the reopening of businesses and schools among other measures. "";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"98;2020-11-01 12:00:00;32;""Talk of �herd immunity�� alarms UA coronavirus researchers"";""Patty Machelor"";""The Arizona Daily Star"";"""";"""";""A national petition from early October called �The Great Barrington Declaration calls for focused protection� that would allow the reopening of businesses and schools among other measures. "";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"99;2020-11-01 12:00:00;32;""Talk of �herd immunity�� alarms UA coronavirus researchers"";""Patty Machelor"";""The Arizona Daily Star"";"""";"""";""If we were just talking about the common cold who cares? Its not like that has tremendous (public health) implications. But for diseases with severe health consequences its not something to be taken lightly� said Dr. Joe Gerald associate professor of public health policy and management at the UAs Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health.We want to reach herd immunity yes but we want to do that through vaccination.� Positivity rate not changing much�"";""Joe Gerald"";""University of Arizona"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"100;2020-11-01 12:00:00;32;""Talk of �herd immunity�� alarms UA coronavirus researchers"";""Patty Machelor"";""The Arizona Daily Star"";"""";"""";""When we look at some of the other coronaviruses we know immunity is not lifelong� he said. We dont know yet where COVID-19 is going to fall on the spectrum.� For Anne Poulin a registered nurse at St. Marys Hospital following health protocols is her focus for keeping herself and others safe. So far shes had two negative antibody tests and four negative COVID-19 tests since she started treating coronavirus patients seven months ago.She is not a fan of the push for herd immunity.I assure you having been coughed on thousands of times and taking off and on (breathing) machines and high-flow oxygen on COVID patients for eight months masks do work� she said.I wish I could help people stay safe and not catch it or at least postpone catching it for as long as possible.�"";""Anne Poulin"";""St. Mary's Hospital"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"406;2020-11-01 12:00:00;32;""Talk of �herd immunity�� alarms UA coronavirus researchers"";""Patty Machelor"";""The Arizona Daily Star"";"""";"""";""When we look at some of the other coronaviruses we know immunity is not lifelong� he said. We dont know yet where COVID-19 is going to fall on the spectrum.� For Anne Poulin a registered nurse at St. Marys Hospital following health protocols is her focus for keeping herself and others safe. So far shes had two negative antibody tests and four negative COVID-19 tests since she started treating coronavirus patients seven months ago.She is not a fan of the push for herd immunity.I assure you having been coughed on thousands of times and taking off and on (breathing) machines and high-flow oxygen on COVID patients for eight months masks do work� she said.I wish I could help people stay safe and not catch it or at least postpone catching it for as long as possible.�"";""Anne Poulin"";""St. Mary's Hospital"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"91;2020-11-09 12:00:00;30;""City still far from herd immunity Mount Sinai data shows"";""Jennifer Henderson"";""Crain''s New York Business"";"""";"""";""'We can't bank on herd immunity' said Florian Krammer professor in vaccinology at the Icahn School of Medicine and corresponding author on the study."";""Florian Kramer"";""Icahn School of Medicine"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"541;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""I sincerely hope that Florida doesnt go down that path� said Tom Inglesby director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security last month. Its pretty clear that a small minority of people have been infectedat this point. If political leaders decide to go down that trail and encourage people to get infected ... extraordinary numbers of people are going to die from this illness before immunity is achieved in the population.�"";""Tom Inglesby"";""John Hopkins University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"542;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""I sincerely hope that Florida doesnt go down that path� said Tom Inglesby director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security last month. Its pretty clear that a small minority of people have been infectedat this point. If political leaders decide to go down that trail and encourage people to get infected ... extraordinary numbers of people are going to die from this illness before immunity is achieved in the population.�"";""Tom Inglesby"";""John Hopkins University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"543;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""In a blistering letter sent to DeSantis on Oct. 30 Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber a former state legislator accused the governor of pursuing a risky herd immunity strategy to address the virus: Not the conventional herd immunity that arrives through widespread use of a vaccine but rather the fringe version of herd immunity that occurs when you purposefully allow the virus to spread throughout the community Gelber wrote.                                         He warned that DeSantis failure to be transparent with the public about this strategy will give people a false sense of security that could endanger many. There will be people � even those who are vulnerable � who will unquestionably and unknowingly put themselves at serious risk because you have signaled an all-clear he said."";""Dan Gelber"";""Miami Beach (City)"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"544;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""In a blistering letter sent to DeSantis on Oct. 30 Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber a former state legislator accused the governor of pursuing a risky herd immunity strategy to address the virus: Not the conventional herd immunity that arrives through widespread use of a vaccine but rather the fringe version of herd immunity that occurs when you purposefully allow the virus to spread throughout the community Gelber wrote.                                         He warned that DeSantis failure to be transparent with the public about this strategy will give people a false sense of security that could endanger many. There will be people � even those who are vulnerable � who will unquestionably and unknowingly put themselves at serious risk because you have signaled an all-clear he said."";""Dan Gelber"";""Miami Beach (City)"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"545;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""He believes the virus is containable through a vaccine and in focusing the resources first on those most vulnerable to complications due to COVID he said. Protect the elderly and those with serious health risks �and the virus becomes far more manageable.�"";""Fred Piccolo"";""Ron DeSantis Administration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"546;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""He believes the virus is containable through a vaccine and in focusing the resources first on those most vulnerable to complications due to COVID he said. Protect the elderly and those with serious health risks �and the virus becomes far more manageable.�"";""Fred Piccolo"";""Ron DeSantis Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"547;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""DeSantis has said he prefers mitigation policies focusing on shifting infections away from the at-risk groups ... rather than suppressing society as a whole.�"";""Ron DeSantis"";""Ron DeSantis Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"548;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""DeSantis has said he prefers mitigation policies focusing on shifting infections away from the at-risk groups ... rather than suppressing society as a whole.�"";""Ron DeSantis"";""Ron DeSantis Administration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"549;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""There just is no evidence whatsoever that we know how to effectively protect the most vulnerable said Marc Lipsitch professor of epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Partly we dont know how to identify all those people. Some of them we do. Some of them we can guess based on their age or their comorbidities. But there are people who have very severe disease who are not in pre-identified groups. For example over 40000 Americans under 65 have died of COVID-19 and thats a small proportion of the total but it is a very large absolute number.�"";""Marc Lipsitch"";""Harvard University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"550;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""There just is no evidence whatsoever that we know how to effectively protect the most vulnerable said Marc Lipsitch professor of epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Partly we dont know how to identify all those people. Some of them we do. Some of them we can guess based on their age or their comorbidities. But there are people who have very severe disease who are not in pre-identified groups. For example over 40000 Americans under 65 have died of COVID-19 and thats a small proportion of the total but it is a very large absolute number.�"";""Marc Lipsitch"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"551;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""The goal of the policy is absolutely not to stop all spread of COVID-19 to asymptomatic or very low risk individuals. ... The goal is to protect the vulnerable.�"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"552;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""The goal of the policy is absolutely not to stop all spread of COVID-19 to asymptomatic or very low risk individuals. ... The goal is to protect the vulnerable.�"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"553;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""Bhattacharya said that lockdowns are absolutely catastrophic� and opening everything exposing many more to infection while protecting the vulnerable is the preferred approach.The mortality rate from the death of the disease itself is much lower than expected Bhattacharya said. If you are infected its not an immediate death sentence. ... For young people its really much less lethal even than the flu.�"";""Jay Bhattacharya"";""Stanford University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"554;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""Bhattacharya said that lockdowns are absolutely catastrophic� and opening everything exposing many more to infection while protecting the vulnerable is the preferred approach.The mortality rate from the death of the disease itself is much lower than expected Bhattacharya said. If you are infected its not an immediate death sentence. ... For young people its really much less lethal even than the flu.�"";""Jay Bhattacharya"";""Stanford University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"555;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""Bhattacharya said that lockdowns are absolutely catastrophic� and opening everything exposing many more to infection while protecting the vulnerable is the preferred approach.The mortality rate from the death of the disease itself is much lower than expected Bhattacharya said. If you are infected its not an immediate death sentence. ... For young people its really much less lethal even than the flu.�"";""Jay Bhattacharya"";""Stanford University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"556;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""It says that those who are not vulnerable should immediately be allowed to resume life as normal� and encourages simple hygiene measures such as hand washing and staying home when sick should be practiced by everyone to reduce the herd immunity threshold.�Schools and universities should be open for in-person teaching. Extracurricular activities such as sports should be resumed the declaration reads. Young low- risk adults should work normally rather than from home. Restaurants and other businesses should open. Arts music sport and other cultural activities should resume.� The document signed by 12000 people and sponsored by the American Institute for Economic Research a libertarian think tank provides no details or policy suggestions for how to protect the vulnerable. It makes no mention of masks which have been found by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention toslow the spread of the virus� and it leaves it up to individuals to protect themselves.People who are more at risk may participate if they wish while society as a whole enjoys the protection conferred upon the vulnerable by those who have built up herd immunity the declaration states."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"557;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""It says that those who are not vulnerable should immediately be allowed to resume life as normal� and encourages simple hygiene measures such as hand washing and staying home when sick should be practiced by everyone to reduce the herd immunity threshold.�Schools and universities should be open for in-person teaching. Extracurricular activities such as sports should be resumed the declaration reads. Young low- risk adults should work normally rather than from home. Restaurants and other businesses should open. Arts music sport and other cultural activities should resume.� The document signed by 12000 people and sponsored by the American Institute for Economic Research a libertarian think tank provides no details or policy suggestions for how to protect the vulnerable. It makes no mention of masks which have been found by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention toslow the spread of the virus� and it leaves it up to individuals to protect themselves.People who are more at risk may participate if they wish while society as a whole enjoys the protection conferred upon the vulnerable by those who have built up herd immunity the declaration states."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"558;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""It says that those who are not vulnerable should immediately be allowed to resume life as normal� and encourages simple hygiene measures such as hand washing and staying home when sick should be practiced by everyone to reduce the herd immunity threshold.�Schools and universities should be open for in-person teaching. Extracurricular activities such as sports should be resumed the declaration reads. Young low- risk adults should work normally rather than from home. Restaurants and other businesses should open. Arts music sport and other cultural activities should resume.� The document signed by 12000 people and sponsored by the American Institute for Economic Research a libertarian think tank provides no details or policy suggestions for how to protect the vulnerable. It makes no mention of masks which have been found by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention toslow the spread of the virus� and it leaves it up to individuals to protect themselves.People who are more at risk may participate if they wish while society as a whole enjoys the protection conferred upon the vulnerable by those who have built up herd immunity the declaration states."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"559;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""I wouldnt say its a policy of herd immunity he said. But if the replication rate continues to drop I mean what do you say about that? You say its because the virus is losing its punch.�"";""Fred Piccolo"";""Ron DeSantis Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"560;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""All the experts interviewed by the Times/Herald agreed with the premise that everyone would like to have their lives back to normal but also doubted it was realistic now.There is some kernel of truth there that some populations (in Florida) are being partly protected by the immunity that has been built up said Lipsitch of Harvard. Its not nonsense to say there is some herd immunity right now. It is nonsense to say that means were out of the woods.�"";""Marc Lipsitch"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"563;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""And Atlas who appeared two weeks ago on Russia-backed television to call lockdowns an epic failure� and who has been accused of misleading the public by suggesting that masks dont work considers DeSantis a standout disciple."";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"564;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""And Atlas who appeared two weeks ago on Russia-backed television to call lockdowns an epic failure� and who has been accused of misleading the public by suggesting that masks dont work considers DeSantis a standout disciple."";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"561;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""The governor is one of the first if not the first governor to understand that the strategy overall is really prioritizing whos going to be vulnerable here he said. We feel very comfortable with the policy of Gov. DeSantis because its exactly right on target.�"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"562;2020-11-10 12:00:00;29;""Is Florida a test site for herd immunity? The governor��s policies mean accepting broader community virus spread."";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Times"";"""";"""";""The governor is one of the first if not the first governor to understand that the strategy overall is really prioritizing whos going to be vulnerable here he said. We feel very comfortable with the policy of Gov. DeSantis because its exactly right on target.�"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"76;2020-11-10 12:00:00;149;""Is Florida a test case for coronavirus herd immunity? Experts warn it''''''''s deadly"";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Online"";"""";"""";""I sincerely hope that Florida doesnt go down that path� said Tom Inglesby director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security last month. Its pretty clear that a small minority of people have been infected at this point. If political leaders decide to go down that trail and encourage people to get infected � extraordinary numbers of people are going to die from this illness before immunity is achieved in the population.�"";""Tom Inglesby"";""John Hopkins University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"77;2020-11-10 12:00:00;149;""Is Florida a test case for coronavirus herd immunity? Experts warn it''''''''s deadly"";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Online"";"""";"""";""I sincerely hope that Florida doesnt go down that path� said Tom Inglesby director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security last month. Its pretty clear that a small minority of people have been infected at this point. If political leaders decide to go down that trail and encourage people to get infected � extraordinary numbers of people are going to die from this illness before immunity is achieved in the population.�"";""Tom Inglesby"";""John Hopkins University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"78;2020-11-10 12:00:00;149;""Is Florida a test case for coronavirus herd immunity? Experts warn it''''''''s deadly"";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Online"";"""";"""";""In a blistering letter sent to DeSantis Oct. 30 Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber a former state legislator accused the governor of pursuing a risky herd immunity strategy to address the virus: 'Not the conventional herd immunity that arrives through widespread use of a vaccine but rather the fringe version of herd immunity that occurs when you purposefully allow the virus to spread throughout the community'' Gelber wrote."";""Dan Gelber"";""Miami Beach (City)"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"79;2020-11-10 12:00:00;149;""Is Florida a test case for coronavirus herd immunity? Experts warn it''''''''s deadly"";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Online"";"""";"""";""'He believes the virus is containable through a vaccine and in focusing the resources first on those most vulnerable to complications due to COVID'' he said. Protect the elderly and those with serious health risks �and the virus becomes far more manageable.�"";""Fred Piccolo"";""Ron DeSantis Administration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"80;2020-11-10 12:00:00;149;""Is Florida a test case for coronavirus herd immunity? Experts warn it''''''''s deadly"";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Online"";"""";"""";""DeSantis has said he prefers “mitigation policies focusing on shifting infections away from the at-risk groups...rather than suppressing society as a whole.”;Ron DeSantis"";""Ron DeSantis Administration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"400;2020-11-10 12:00:00;149;""Is Florida a test case for coronavirus herd immunity? Experts warn it''''''''s deadly"";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Online"";"""";"""";""DeSantis has said he prefers “mitigation policies focusing on shifting infections away from the at-risk groups...rather than suppressing society as a whole.”;Ron DeSantis"";""Ron DeSantis Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"81;2020-11-10 12:00:00;149;""Is Florida a test case for coronavirus herd immunity? Experts warn it''''''''s deadly"";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Online"";"""";"""";""'There just is no evidence whatsoever that we know how to effectively protect the most vulnerable'' said Marc Lipsitch professor of epidemiology at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.Partly we dont know how to identify all those people. Some of them we do. Some of them we can guess based on their age or their co-morbidities. But there are people who have very severe disease who are not in pre-identified groups. For example over 40000 Americans under 65 have died of COVID-19 and thats a small proportion of the total but it is a very large absolute number.�"";""Marc Lipsitch"";""Harvard University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"82;2020-11-10 12:00:00;149;""Is Florida a test case for coronavirus herd immunity? Experts warn it''''''''s deadly"";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Online"";"""";"""";""'There just is no evidence whatsoever that we know how to effectively protect the most vulnerable'' said Marc Lipsitch professor of epidemiology at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.Partly we dont know how to identify all those people. Some of them we do. Some of them we can guess based on their age or their co-morbidities. But there are people who have very severe disease who are not in pre-identified groups. For example over 40000 Americans under 65 have died of COVID-19 and thats a small proportion of the total but it is a very large absolute number.�"";""Marc Lipsitch"";""Harvard University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"83;2020-11-10 12:00:00;149;""Is Florida a test case for coronavirus herd immunity? Experts warn it''''''''s deadly"";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Online"";"""";"""";""Atlas the neuroradiologist who has replaced Dr. Anthony Fauci as the top coronavirus adviser to President Donald Trump explained at an Aug. 31 roundtable� in Tallahassee that: The goal of the policy is absolutely not to stop all spread of COVID-19 to asymptomatic or very low risk individuals�.The goal is to protect the vulnerable.�"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"401;2020-11-10 12:00:00;149;""Is Florida a test case for coronavirus herd immunity? Experts warn it''''''''s deadly"";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Online"";"""";"""";""Atlas the neuroradiologist who has replaced Dr. Anthony Fauci as the top coronavirus adviser to President Donald Trump explained at an Aug. 31 roundtable� in Tallahassee that: The goal of the policy is absolutely not to stop all spread of COVID-19 to asymptomatic or very low risk individuals�.The goal is to protect the vulnerable.�"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"84;2020-11-10 12:00:00;149;""Is Florida a test case for coronavirus herd immunity? Experts warn it''''''''s deadly"";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Online"";"""";"""";""'The mortality rate from the death of the disease itself is much lower than expected'' Bhattacharya said. If you are infected its not an immediate death sentence....For young people its really much less lethal even than the flu.�"";""Jay Bhattacharya"";""Stanford University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"85;2020-11-10 12:00:00;149;""Is Florida a test case for coronavirus herd immunity? Experts warn it''''''''s deadly"";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Online"";"""";"""";""Bhattachara and Kulldorf have since published their controversial approach to managing the pandemic in a document called the Great Barrington Declaration. Named after a resort town in Massachusetts it calls for focused protection� and a compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity.�"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"402;2020-11-10 12:00:00;149;""Is Florida a test case for coronavirus herd immunity? Experts warn it''''''''s deadly"";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Online"";"""";"""";""Bhattachara and Kulldorf have since published their controversial approach to managing the pandemic in a document called the Great Barrington Declaration. Named after a resort town in Massachusetts it calls for focused protection� and a compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity.�"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"86;2020-11-10 12:00:00;149;""Is Florida a test case for coronavirus herd immunity? Experts warn it''''''''s deadly"";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Online"";"""";"""";""It says that those who are not vulnerable “should immediately be allowed to resume life as normal” and encourages “simple hygiene measures such as hand washing and staying home when sick should be practiced by everyone to reduce the herd immunity threshold.”'Schools and universities should be open for in-person teaching. Extracurricular activities such as sports should be resumed'' the declaration reads. “Young low-risk adults should work normally rather than from home. Restaurants and other businesses should open. Arts music sport and other cultural activities should resume.” musicThe document signed by 12000 people and sponsored by the American Institute for Economic Research a libertarian think-tank provides no details or policy suggestions for how to protect the vulnerable. It makes no mention of masks which have been found by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to “slow the spread of the virus” and it leaves it up to individuals to protect themselves. which have been found by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to “slow the spread of the virus'People who are more at risk may participate if they wish while society as a whole enjoys the protection conferred upon the vulnerable by those who have built up herd immunity'' the declaration states.;Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"403;2020-11-10 12:00:00;149;""Is Florida a test case for coronavirus herd immunity? Experts warn it''''''''s deadly"";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Online"";"""";"""";""It says that those who are not vulnerable “should immediately be allowed to resume life as normal” and encourages “simple hygiene measures such as hand washing and staying home when sick should be practiced by everyone to reduce the herd immunity threshold.”'Schools and universities should be open for in-person teaching. Extracurricular activities such as sports should be resumed'' the declaration reads. “Young low-risk adults should work normally rather than from home. Restaurants and other businesses should open. Arts music sport and other cultural activities should resume.” musicThe document signed by 12000 people and sponsored by the American Institute for Economic Research a libertarian think-tank provides no details or policy suggestions for how to protect the vulnerable. It makes no mention of masks which have been found by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to “slow the spread of the virus” and it leaves it up to individuals to protect themselves. which have been found by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to “slow the spread of the virus'People who are more at risk may participate if they wish while society as a whole enjoys the protection conferred upon the vulnerable by those who have built up herd immunity'' the declaration states.;Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"404;2020-11-10 12:00:00;149;""Is Florida a test case for coronavirus herd immunity? Experts warn it''''''''s deadly"";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Online"";"""";"""";""It says that those who are not vulnerable “should immediately be allowed to resume life as normal” and encourages “simple hygiene measures such as hand washing and staying home when sick should be practiced by everyone to reduce the herd immunity threshold.”'Schools and universities should be open for in-person teaching. Extracurricular activities such as sports should be resumed'' the declaration reads. “Young low-risk adults should work normally rather than from home. Restaurants and other businesses should open. Arts music sport and other cultural activities should resume.” musicThe document signed by 12000 people and sponsored by the American Institute for Economic Research a libertarian think-tank provides no details or policy suggestions for how to protect the vulnerable. It makes no mention of masks which have been found by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to “slow the spread of the virus” and it leaves it up to individuals to protect themselves. which have been found by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to “slow the spread of the virus'People who are more at risk may participate if they wish while society as a whole enjoys the protection conferred upon the vulnerable by those who have built up herd immunity'' the declaration states.;Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"87;2020-11-10 12:00:00;149;""Is Florida a test case for coronavirus herd immunity? Experts warn it''''''''s deadly"";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Online"";"""";"""";""Piccolo the governors spokesperson described DeSantis' thinking this way: 'I wouldnt say its a policy of herd immunity'' he said. But if the replication rate continues to drop I mean what do you say about that? You say its because the virus is losing its punch.�"";""Fred Piccolo"";""Ron DeSantis Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"88;2020-11-10 12:00:00;149;""Is Florida a test case for coronavirus herd immunity? Experts warn it''''''''s deadly"";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Online"";"""";"""";""'You could have pockets where hardly anyone was infected in the last wave'' Longini said.�Nonsense to say were out of the woods"";""Ira Longini"";""University of Florida"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"89;2020-11-10 12:00:00;149;""Is Florida a test case for coronavirus herd immunity? Experts warn it''''''''s deadly"";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Online"";"""";"""";""'There is some kernel of truth there that some populations [in Florida] are being partly protected by the immunity that has been built up'' said Lipsitch of Harvard. Its not nonsense to say there is some herd immunity right now. It is nonsense to say that means were out of the woods.�"";""Marc Lipsitch"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"90;2020-11-10 12:00:00;149;""Is Florida a test case for coronavirus herd immunity? Experts warn it''''''''s deadly"";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Online"";"""";"""";""'The governor is one of the first if not the first governor to understand that the strategy overall is really prioritizing whos going to be vulnerable here'' he said. We feel very comfortable with the policy of Gov. DeSantis because its exactly right on target.�"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"405;2020-11-10 12:00:00;149;""Is Florida a test case for coronavirus herd immunity? Experts warn it''''''''s deadly"";""Mary Ellen Klas Ben Conarck"";""Tampa Bay Online"";"""";"""";""'The governor is one of the first if not the first governor to understand that the strategy overall is really prioritizing whos going to be vulnerable here'' he said. We feel very comfortable with the policy of Gov. DeSantis because its exactly right on target.�"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"74;2020-11-11 12:00:00;28;""Why experts say we need to stop talking about herd immunity as a coronavirus strategy"";""Denise Chow"";""NBC News"";"""";"""";""Adopting a strate y of natural herd immunity � in which the coronavirus would be allowed to spread particularly among young people until enough of a population becomes immune to the virus to make further spread unlikely � would be catastrophic he said.Its criminal and its unethical� Mokdad who is now a professor of global health at the University of Washington said. It means we allow many people to die instead of protecting our own. Thats not acceptable.�"";""Ali Mokdad"";""University of Washington"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"75;2020-11-11 12:00:00;28;""Why experts say we need to stop talking about herd immunity as a coronavirus strategy"";""Denise Chow"";""NBC News"";"""";"""";""Adopting a strate y of natural herd immunity � in which the coronavirus would be allowed to spread particularly among young people until enough of a population becomes immune to the virus to make further spread unlikely � would be catastrophic he said.Its criminal and its unethical� Mokdad who is now a professor of global health at the University of Washington said. It means we allow many people to die instead of protecting our own. Thats not acceptable.�"";""Ali Mokdad"";""University of Washington"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"393;2020-11-12 12:00:00;26;""6 things to say when someone asks: ''Why can''t we just go for herd immunity to end the coronavirus pandemic?''"";""Hilary Brueck"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""'For people who are under ... let's say 60 or 50 the lockdown harms are mentally and p"";""Jay Bhattacharya"";""Stanford University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"394;2020-11-12 12:00:00;26;""6 things to say when someone asks: ''Why can''t we just go for herd immunity to end the coronavirus pandemic?''"";""Hilary Brueck"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""'For people who are under ... let's say 60 or 50 the lockdown harms are mentally and p"";""Jay Bhattacharya"";""Stanford University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"395;2020-11-12 12:00:00;26;""6 things to say when someone asks: ''Why can''t we just go for herd immunity to end the coronavirus pandemic?''"";""Hilary Brueck"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""'For people who are under ... let's say 60 or 50 the lockdown harms are mentally and p"";""Jay Bhattacharya"";""Stanford University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"70;2020-11-12 12:00:00;26;""6 things to say when someone asks: ''Why can''t we just go for herd immunity to end the coronavirus pandemic?''"";""Hilary Brueck"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""'I think it's a great idea to look for creative solutions but nobody responsible would abandon what we know works which is controlling viral spread' Lipsitch said. "";""Marc Lipsitch"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"67;2020-11-12 12:00:00;26;""6 things to say when someone asks: ''Why can''t we just go for herd immunity to end the coronavirus pandemic?''"";""Hilary Brueck"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""Even Sweden's approach did not follow what the Great Barrington Declaration suggests: 'focused protection' for the vulnerable and focused infection of the young and healthy."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"396;2020-11-12 12:00:00;26;""6 things to say when someone asks: ''Why can''t we just go for herd immunity to end the coronavirus pandemic?''"";""Hilary Brueck"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""Even Sweden's approach did not follow what the Great Barrington Declaration suggests: 'focused protection' for the vulnerable and focused infection of the young and healthy."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"66;2020-11-12 12:00:00;26;""6 things to say when someone asks: ''Why can''t we just go for herd immunity to end the coronavirus pandemic?''"";""Hilary Brueck"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""'We protect the vulnerable with every single tool we have' he said. 'We use our testing resources. We use our staff rotations in nursing homes. We use PPE. We do all kinds of things.'"";""Jay Bhattacharya"";""Stanford University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"71;2020-11-12 12:00:00;26;""6 things to say when someone asks: ''Why can''t we just go for herd immunity to end the coronavirus pandemic?''"";""Hilary Brueck"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""'For younger populations and people who are less at risk frankly COVID is less of a risk than the lockdown' Bhattacharya said reiterating that such closures harm people's psychological mental and physical health. But COVID-19 doesn't just kill people. It also has devastating long-term effects on many of its survivors including debilitating brain fog  hair loss  swollen toes and scaly rashes  tinnitus  and loss of smell .The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that nearly half (45.4%) of the adult population in the US is at risk for COVID-19 complications � including death � 'because of cardiovascular disease diabetes respiratory disease hypertension or cancer.'"";""Jay Bhattacharya"";""Stanford University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"397;2020-11-12 12:00:00;26;""6 things to say when someone asks: ''Why can''t we just go for herd immunity to end the coronavirus pandemic?''"";""Hilary Brueck"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""'For younger populations and people who are less at risk frankly COVID is less of a risk than the lockdown' Bhattacharya said reiterating that such closures harm people's psychological mental and physical health. But COVID-19 doesn't just kill people. It also has devastating long-term effects on many of its survivors including debilitating brain fog  hair loss  swollen toes and scaly rashes  tinnitus  and loss of smell .The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that nearly half (45.4%) of the adult population in the US is at risk for COVID-19 complications � including death � 'because of cardiovascular disease diabetes respiratory disease hypertension or cancer.'"";""Jay Bhattacharya"";""Stanford University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"398;2020-11-12 12:00:00;26;""6 things to say when someone asks: ''Why can''t we just go for herd immunity to end the coronavirus pandemic?''"";""Hilary Brueck"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""'For younger populations and people who are less at risk frankly COVID is less of a risk than the lockdown' Bhattacharya said reiterating that such closures harm people's psychological mental and physical health. But COVID-19 doesn't just kill people. It also has devastating long-term effects on many of its survivors including debilitating brain fog  hair loss  swollen toes and scaly rashes  tinnitus  and loss of smell .The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that nearly half (45.4%) of the adult population in the US is at risk for COVID-19 complications � including death � 'because of cardiovascular disease diabetes respiratory disease hypertension or cancer.'"";""Jay Bhattacharya"";""Stanford University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"68;2020-11-12 12:00:00;26;""6 things to say when someone asks: ''Why can''t we just go for herd immunity to end the coronavirus pandemic?''"";""Hilary Brueck"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""'Humans are not herds' the WHO Executive Director of Health Emergencies Mike Ryan said in May slamming the idea. 'I think we need to be really careful when we use terms in this way around natural infections in humans because it can lead to a very brutal arithmetic which does not put people and life and suffering at the center of that equation.'"";""Michael Ryan"";""World Health Organization"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"69;2020-11-12 12:00:00;26;""6 things to say when someone asks: ''Why can''t we just go for herd immunity to end the coronavirus pandemic?''"";""Hilary Brueck"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""'Humans are not herds' the WHO Executive Director of Health Emergencies Mike Ryan said in May slamming the idea. 'I think we need to be really careful when we use terms in this way around natural infections in humans because it can lead to a very brutal arithmetic which does not put people and life and suffering at the center of that equation.'"";""Michael Ryan"";""World Health Organization"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"399;2020-11-12 12:00:00;26;""6 things to say when someone asks: ''Why can''t we just go for herd immunity to end the coronavirus pandemic?''"";""Hilary Brueck"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""'Humans are not herds' the WHO Executive Director of Health Emergencies Mike Ryan said in May slamming the idea. 'I think we need to be really careful when we use terms in this way around natural infections in humans because it can lead to a very brutal arithmetic which does not put people and life and suffering at the center of that equation.'"";""Michael Ryan"";""World Health Organization"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"72;2020-11-12 12:00:00;27;""How herd immunity leaped from the fringes to mainstream consciousness"";""Denise Chow"";""NBC News"";"""";"""";""Adopting a strate y of natural herd immunity � in which the coronavirus would be allowed to spread particularly among young people until enough of a population becomes immune to the virus to make further spread unlikely � would be catastrophic he said.Its criminal and its unethical� Mokdad who is now a professor of global health at the University of Washington said. It means we allow many people to die instead of protecting our own. Thats not acceptable.�"";""Ali Mokdad"";""University of Washington"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"73;2020-11-12 12:00:00;27;""How herd immunity leaped from the fringes to mainstream consciousness"";""Denise Chow"";""NBC News"";"""";"""";""Adopting a strate y of natural herd immunity � in which the coronavirus would be allowed to spread particularly among young people until enough of a population becomes immune to the virus to make further spread unlikely � would be catastrophic he said.Its criminal and its unethical� Mokdad who is now a professor of global health at the University of Washington said. It means we allow many people to die instead of protecting our own. Thats not acceptable.�"";""Ali Mokdad"";""University of Washington"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"62;2020-11-18 12:00:00;25;""U.S. News: Florida Stays Open As New Cases Climb --- Republican governor embraces herd immunity opposes renewed restrictions"";""Arian Campo-Flores"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""'Focusing protections on the folks who are most vulnerable to disease is our top priority' he said in October. His office didn't respond to requests to comment."";""Ron DeSantis"";""Ron DeSantis Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"63;2020-11-18 12:00:00;25;""U.S. News: Florida Stays Open As New Cases Climb --- Republican governor embraces herd immunity opposes renewed restrictions"";""Arian Campo-Flores"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""'Focusing protections on the folks who are most vulnerable to disease is our top priority' he said in October. His office didn't respond to requests to comment."";""Ron DeSantis"";""Ron DeSantis Administration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"64;2020-11-18 12:00:00;25;""U.S. News: Florida Stays Open As New Cases Climb --- Republican governor embraces herd immunity opposes renewed restrictions"";""Arian Campo-Flores"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""'What would seem to make the most sense based on the science right now would be to try to maintain a degree of control over the transmission of this virus so that we don't reach extreme levels' said J. Glenn Morris director of the Emerging Pathogens Institute at the University of Florida. The state's approach 'puts us in a verydifficult position.'"";""J Glenn Morris"";""University of Florida"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"60;2020-11-24 12:00:00;24;""Top epidemiologist says Sweden has no signs of herd immunity curbing coronavirus"";""John Bowden"";""The Hill"";"""";"""";""The issue of herd immunity is di icult� Anders Tegnell Sweden's state epidemiologist said at a news brie ing according to Bloomberg News.We see no signs of immunity in the population that are slowing down the infection right now' Tegnell said."";""Anders Tegnell"";""Sweden Public Health Agency"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"61;2020-11-24 12:00:00;24;""Top epidemiologist says Sweden has no signs of herd immunity curbing coronavirus"";""John Bowden"";""The Hill"";"""";"""";""'In common with other countries were trying to slow down the spread as much as possible... To imply that we let the disease run free without any measures to try to stop it is not true� Tegnell told New Statesman."";""Anders Tegnell"";""Sweden Public Health Agency"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"58;2020-11-25 12:00:00;23;""Indiana University study reveals the deadly risk of planning on herd immunity"";""SharI Rudavsky"";""Indianapolis Star"";"""";"""";""Menachemi said. Pushing to achieve herd immunity without a vaccine simply risks losing many lives.�"";""Nir Menachemi"";""Indian University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"59;2020-11-25 12:00:00;23;""Indiana University study reveals the deadly risk of planning on herd immunity"";""SharI Rudavsky"";""Indianapolis Star"";"""";"""";""Menachemi said. Pushing to achieve herd immunity without a vaccine simply risks losing many lives.�"";""Nir Menachemi"";""Indian University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"392;2020-11-25 12:00:00;23;""Indiana University study reveals the deadly risk of planning on herd immunity"";""SharI Rudavsky"";""Indianapolis Star"";"""";"""";""Menachemi said. Pushing to achieve herd immunity without a vaccine simply risks losing many lives.�"";""Nir Menachemi"";""Indian University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"56;2020-12-09 12:00:00;21;""Trump claims US nearly at 15 percent COVID-19 immunity: ''That''s a very powerful vaccine in itself''"";""Joseph Choi"";""The Hill"";"""";"""";""I think that the vaccine was our goal. That was No. 1 because that was the way it ends� said Trump. Plus you do have an immunity. You develop immunity over a period of time and I hear were close to 15 percent Im hearing that and that is terri ic. Thats a very powerful vaccine in itself.�"";""Donald Trump"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"57;2020-12-09 12:00:00;22;""Trump can''t kick his coronavirus herd-immunity kick"";""Aaron Blake"";""Washington Post.com"";"""";"""";""'You do develop an immunity over time and I hear we're close to 15 percent � I'm hearing that' Trump said. 'And that is terrific. That's a very powerful vaccine in itself.'"";""Donald Trump"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"55;2020-12-15 12:00:00;20;""''Momentous event'': HHS Secretary Alex Azar touts COVID-19 vaccine as a key to US herd immunity"";""Ken Alltucker"";""USA Today Online"";"""";"""";""'We want to have fewer hospitalizations and we want to get our deaths down because every single death we are experiencing is a tragedy' Azar said. 'We do not have herd immunity. The strategy for herd immunity in the United States is vaccine-induced herd immunity.'"";""Alex Azar"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"29;2020-12-16 12:00:00;16;""Overnight Health Care: Trump official pushed for herd immunity calling for low-risk Americans to be infected | Congress close to coronavirus deal including stimulus checks | US officials had to return..."";""Nathaniel Weixel Peter Sullivan Jessie Hellmann"";""The Hill"";"""";"""";""Paul Alexander at the time a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) science adviser referred to younger people and lower-risk people in an email and wrote we want them infected.�Infants kids teens young people young adults middle aged with no conditions etc. have zero to little risk....so we use them to develop herd... we want them infected...and recovered...with antibodies....hospitals are NOW geared PPE in place ICUs beds are on the ready doctors and nurses alert the syndrome is crystalized... etc�"";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"30;2020-12-16 12:00:00;16;""Overnight Health Care: Trump official pushed for herd immunity calling for low-risk Americans to be infected | Congress close to coronavirus deal including stimulus checks | US officials had to return..."";""Nathaniel Weixel Peter Sullivan Jessie Hellmann"";""The Hill"";"""";"""";""Paul Alexander at the time a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) science adviser referred to younger people and lower-risk people in an email and wrote we want them infected.�Infants kids teens young people young adults middle aged with no conditions etc. have zero to little risk....so we use them to develop herd... we want them infected...and recovered...with antibodies....hospitals are NOW geared PPE in place ICUs beds are on the ready doctors and nurses alert the syndrome is crystalized... etc�"";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"387;2020-12-16 12:00:00;16;""Overnight Health Care: Trump official pushed for herd immunity calling for low-risk Americans to be infected | Congress close to coronavirus deal including stimulus checks | US officials had to return..."";""Nathaniel Weixel Peter Sullivan Jessie Hellmann"";""The Hill"";"""";"""";""Paul Alexander at the time a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) science adviser referred to younger people and lower-risk people in an email and wrote we want them infected.�Infants kids teens young people young adults middle aged with no conditions etc. have zero to little risk....so we use them to develop herd... we want them infected...and recovered...with antibodies....hospitals are NOW geared PPE in place ICUs beds are on the ready doctors and nurses alert the syndrome is crystalized... etc�"";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"388;2020-12-16 12:00:00;16;""Overnight Health Care: Trump official pushed for herd immunity calling for low-risk Americans to be infected | Congress close to coronavirus deal including stimulus checks | US officials had to return..."";""Nathaniel Weixel Peter Sullivan Jessie Hellmann"";""The Hill"";"""";"""";""HHS response: His emails absolutely did not shape department strategy� an HHS spokesperson said Wednesday in response to the emails release. Dr. Paul Alexander previously served as a temporary Senior Policy Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs and is no longer employed at the Department.�"";"""";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"31;2020-12-16 12:00:00;17;""''We want them infected'' Trump HHS appointee said in email pushing to expose infants kids and teens to Covid to reach ''herd immunity''"";""Will Feuer"";""CNBC"";"""";"""";""Alexander wrote in a July 4 email to Caputo and six other HHS communications officials that the U.S. needed to establish herd immunity by allowing non-high risk groups expose themselves to the virus.Infants kids teens young people young adults middle aged with no conditions etc. have zero to little risk....so we use them to develop herd...we want them infected....and recovered...with antibodies� he wrote."";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"32;2020-12-16 12:00:00;17;""''We want them infected'' Trump HHS appointee said in email pushing to expose infants kids and teens to Covid to reach ''herd immunity''"";""Will Feuer"";""CNBC"";"""";"""";""Alexander wrote in a July 4 email to Caputo and six other HHS communications officials that the U.S. needed to establish herd immunity by allowing non-high risk groups expose themselves to the virus.Infants kids teens young people young adults middle aged with no conditions etc. have zero to little risk....so we use them to develop herd...we want them infected....and recovered...with antibodies� he wrote."";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"33;2020-12-16 12:00:00;17;""''We want them infected'' Trump HHS appointee said in email pushing to expose infants kids and teens to Covid to reach ''herd immunity''"";""Will Feuer"";""CNBC"";"""";"""";""It may be that it will be best if we open up and flood the zone and let the kids and young folk get infected as we acutely lock down the elderely and at risk folks� to get to natural immunity...natural exposure� he wrote on July 24 to Hahn Caputo and other HHS officials. Caputo asked Alexander to look further into the idea further emails show."";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"34;2020-12-16 12:00:00;17;""''We want them infected'' Trump HHS appointee said in email pushing to expose infants kids and teens to Covid to reach ''herd immunity''"";""Will Feuer"";""CNBC"";"""";"""";""It may be that it will be best if we open up and flood the zone and let the kids and young folk get infected as we acutely lock down the elderely and at risk folks� to get to natural immunity...natural exposure� he wrote on July 24 to Hahn Caputo and other HHS officials. Caputo asked Alexander to look further into the idea further emails show."";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"389;2020-12-16 12:00:00;17;""''We want them infected'' Trump HHS appointee said in email pushing to expose infants kids and teens to Covid to reach ''herd immunity''"";""Will Feuer"";""CNBC"";"""";"""";""His emails absolutely did not shape department strategy� an HHS spokesperson said Wednesday. Dr. Paul Alexander previously served as a temporary Senior Policy Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs and is no longer employed at the Department."";"""";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"35;2020-12-16 12:00:00;17;""''We want them infected'' Trump HHS appointee said in email pushing to expose infants kids and teens to Covid to reach ''herd immunity''"";""Will Feuer"";""CNBC"";"""";"""";""As the virus spread through the country these officials callously wrote �who cares and �we want them infected�� Clyburn said in a statement. They privately admitted they �always knew the Presidents policies would cause a �rise in cases and they plotted to blame the spread of the virus on career scientists.�"";""James Clyburn"";""United States Congress"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"36;2020-12-16 12:00:00;17;""''We want them infected'' Trump HHS appointee said in email pushing to expose infants kids and teens to Covid to reach ''herd immunity''"";""Will Feuer"";""CNBC"";"""";"""";""On June 24 amid the post-Memorial Day surge in cases Alexander wrote to Caputo and two other HHS officials we always knew as you relax and open up cases will rise.� He then questioned but are the new cases problematic???�We need also to tout the good stories as we know of elderly with serious conditions who get it and survive...this is key to tell� he added."";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"37;2020-12-16 12:00:00;18;""�We want them infected��: Trump appointee demanded �herd immunity�� strategy emails reveal"";""Dan Diamond"";""Politico"";"""";"""";""There is no other way we need to establish herd and it only comes about allowing the non-high risk groups expose themselves to the virus. PERIOD' then-science adviser Paul Alexander wrote on July 4 to his boss Health and Human Services assistant secretary for public affairs Michael Caputo and six other senior officials. 'Infants kids teens young people young adults middle aged with no conditions etc. have zero to little risk....so we use them to develop herd...we want them infected...' Alexander added."";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"38;2020-12-16 12:00:00;18;""�We want them infected��: Trump appointee demanded �herd immunity�� strategy emails reveal"";""Dan Diamond"";""Politico"";"""";"""";""There is no other way we need to establish herd and it only comes about allowing the non-high risk groups expose themselves to the virus. PERIOD' then-science adviser Paul Alexander wrote on July 4 to his boss Health and Human Services assistant secretary for public affairs Michael Caputo and six other senior officials. 'Infants kids teens young people young adults middle aged with no conditions etc. have zero to little risk....so we use them to develop herd...we want them infected...' Alexander added."";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"39;2020-12-16 12:00:00;18;""�We want them infected��: Trump appointee demanded �herd immunity�� strategy emails reveal"";""Dan Diamond"";""Politico"";"""";"""";""'[I]t may be that it will be best if we open up and flood the zone and let the kids and young folk get infected' in order to get 'natural immunity...natural exposure' Alexander wrote on July 24 to Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn Caputo and eight other senior officials."";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"40;2020-12-16 12:00:00;18;""�We want them infected��: Trump appointee demanded �herd immunity�� strategy emails reveal"";""Dan Diamond"";""Politico"";"""";"""";""'[I]t may be that it will be best if we open up and flood the zone and let the kids and young folk get infected' in order to get 'natural immunity...natural exposure' Alexander wrote on July 24 to Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn Caputo and eight other senior officials."";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"41;2020-12-16 12:00:00;18;""�We want them infected��: Trump appointee demanded �herd immunity�� strategy emails reveal"";""Dan Diamond"";""Politico"";"""";"""";""we essentially took off the battlefield the most potent weapon we had...younger healthy people children teens young people who we needed to fastly [sic] infect themselves spread it around develop immunity and help stop the spread.�"";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"42;2020-12-16 12:00:00;18;""�We want them infected��: Trump appointee demanded �herd immunity�� strategy emails reveal"";""Dan Diamond"";""Politico"";"""";"""";""we essentially took off the battlefield the most potent weapon we had...younger healthy people children teens young people who we needed to fastly [sic] infect themselves spread it around develop immunity and help stop the spread.�"";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"43;2020-12-16 12:00:00;18;""�We want them infected��: Trump appointee demanded �herd immunity�� strategy emails reveal"";""Dan Diamond"";""Politico"";"""";"""";""Herd immunity is not the strategy of the U.S. government with regard to coronavirus' HHS Secretary Alex Azar testified in a hearing before the House coronavirus subcommittee on Oct. 2."";""Alex Azar"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"44;2020-12-16 12:00:00;18;""�We want them infected��: Trump appointee demanded �herd immunity�� strategy emails reveal"";""Dan Diamond"";""Politico"";"""";"""";""In a statement an HHS spokesperson said that Alexanders demands for herd immunity absolutely did not� shape department strategy."";"""";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"45;2020-12-16 12:00:00;18;""�We want them infected��: Trump appointee demanded �herd immunity�� strategy emails reveal"";""Dan Diamond"";""Politico"";"""";"""";""We certainly are not wanting to wait back and just let people get infected so that you can develop herd immunity. That's certainly not my approach� Fauci said in September."";""Anthony Fauci"";""National Institute of Health"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"46;2020-12-16 12:00:00;18;""�We want them infected��: Trump appointee demanded �herd immunity�� strategy emails reveal"";""Dan Diamond"";""Politico"";"""";"""";""Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) who chairs the coronavirus subcommittee said in a statement that the documents 'show a pernicious pattern of political interference by Administration officials.' 'As the virus spread through the country these officials callously wrote 'who cares' and 'we want them infected'' Clyburn added. 'They privately admitted they �always knew the Presidents policies would cause a �rise in cases and they plotted to blame the spread of the virus on career scientists.'"";""James Clyburn"";""United States Congress"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"47;2020-12-16 12:00:00;18;""�We want them infected��: Trump appointee demanded �herd immunity�� strategy emails reveal"";""Dan Diamond"";""Politico"";"""";"""";""'So the bottom line is if it is more infectiouness [sic] now the issue is who cares?' Alexander wrote in a July 3 email to the health department's top communications officials. 'If it is causing more cases in young my word is who cares...as long as we make sensible decisions and protect the elderely [sic] and nursing homes we must go on with life....who cares if we test more and get more positive tests.'"";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"48;2020-12-16 12:00:00;18;""�We want them infected��: Trump appointee demanded �herd immunity�� strategy emails reveal"";""Dan Diamond"";""Politico"";"""";"""";""'So the bottom line is if it is more infectiouness [sic] now the issue is who cares?' Alexander wrote in a July 3 email to the health department's top communications officials. 'If it is causing more cases in young my word is who cares...as long as we make sensible decisions and protect the elderely [sic] and nursing homes we must go on with life....who cares if we test more and get more positive tests.'"";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"390;2020-12-16 12:00:00;18;""�We want them infected��: Trump appointee demanded �herd immunity�� strategy emails reveal"";""Dan Diamond"";""Politico"";"""";"""";""'So the bottom line is if it is more infectiouness [sic] now the issue is who cares?' Alexander wrote in a July 3 email to the health department's top communications officials. 'If it is causing more cases in young my word is who cares...as long as we make sensible decisions and protect the elderely [sic] and nursing homes we must go on with life....who cares if we test more and get more positive tests.'"";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"49;2020-12-16 12:00:00;18;""�We want them infected��: Trump appointee demanded �herd immunity�� strategy emails reveal"";""Dan Diamond"";""Politico"";"""";"""";""'I did not want to look like a nut ball and if as they think and as I think this may be true ... several hard hit areas may have hit heard [sic] at 20% like NYC' Alexander added. '[T]hat's my argument....why not consider it?'"";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"50;2020-12-16 12:00:00;19;""Trump official pushed for herd immunity calling for low-risk Americans to be infected emails show"";""Peter Sullivan"";""The Hill"";"""";"""";""Paul Alexander at the time a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) o icial referred to younger people and lower-risk people in an email and wrote we want them infected.�Infants kids teens young people young adults middle aged with no conditions etc. have zero to little risk....so we use them to develop herd... we want them infected...and recovered...with antibodies....hospitals are NOW geared PPE in place ICUs beds are on the ready doctors and nurses alert the syndrome is crystalized... etc� he wrote in a July 4 email to other HHS o icials obtained by the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis."";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"51;2020-12-16 12:00:00;19;""Trump official pushed for herd immunity calling for low-risk Americans to be infected emails show"";""Peter Sullivan"";""The Hill"";"""";"""";""Paul Alexander at the time a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) o icial referred to younger people and lower-risk people in an email and wrote we want them infected.�Infants kids teens young people young adults middle aged with no conditions etc. have zero to little risk....so we use them to develop herd... we want them infected...and recovered...with antibodies....hospitals are NOW geared PPE in place ICUs beds are on the ready doctors and nurses alert the syndrome is crystalized... etc� he wrote in a July 4 email to other HHS o icials obtained by the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis."";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"52;2020-12-16 12:00:00;19;""Trump official pushed for herd immunity calling for low-risk Americans to be infected emails show"";""Peter Sullivan"";""The Hill"";"""";"""";""Paul Alexander at the time a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) o icial referred to younger people and lower-risk people in an email and wrote we want them infected.�Infants kids teens young people young adults middle aged with no conditions etc. have zero to little risk....so we use them to develop herd... we want them infected...and recovered...with antibodies....hospitals are NOW geared PPE in place ICUs beds are on the ready doctors and nurses alert the syndrome is crystalized... etc� he wrote in a July 4 email to other HHS o icials obtained by the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis."";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"391;2020-12-16 12:00:00;19;""Trump official pushed for herd immunity calling for low-risk Americans to be infected emails show"";""Peter Sullivan"";""The Hill"";"""";"""";""His emails absolutely did not shape department strategy� an HHS spokesperson said Wednesday in response to the emails release."";"""";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"53;2020-12-16 12:00:00;19;""Trump official pushed for herd immunity calling for low-risk Americans to be infected emails show"";""Peter Sullivan"";""The Hill"";"""";"""";""Herd immunity is not the strategy of the U.S. government with regard to coronavirus� Azar testi ied before Congress in October."";""Alex Azar"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"54;2020-12-16 12:00:00;19;""Trump official pushed for herd immunity calling for low-risk Americans to be infected emails show"";""Peter Sullivan"";""The Hill"";"""";"""";""There is a rise in cases due to testing and also simultaneously due to the relaxing of restrictions less social distancing� he wrote. We always knew as you relax and open up cases will rise...but what type of cases? If we test more we will  ind more...but are the new cases problematic???�"";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"23;2020-12-17 12:00:00;13;""Former Trump appointee encouraged herd immunity strategy"";""Daniella Diaz Betsy Klein"";""CNN"";"""";"""";""(CNN) � A former top Trump appointee urged health o cials to adopt a 'herd immunity' approach to Covid-19 according to internal emails obtained by the House Oversight Committee and shared with reporters.Former Health and Human Services senior adviser Paul Alexander repeatedly urged his colleagues at HHS and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to pursue a herd immunity strategy amid the Covid-19 pandemic.One example is when he wrote in an email on July 3 that Americans 'must go on with life.''So the bottom line is if it is more infectiouness [sic] now the issue is who cares? If it is causing more cases in young my word is who cares...as long as we make sensible decisions and protect the elderely [sic] and nursing homes we must go on with life....who cares if we test more and get more positive tests' he wrote."";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"24;2020-12-17 12:00:00;13;""Former Trump appointee encouraged herd immunity strategy"";""Daniella Diaz Betsy Klein"";""CNN"";"""";"""";""(CNN) � A former top Trump appointee urged health o cials to adopt a 'herd immunity' approach to Covid-19 according to internal emails obtained by the House Oversight Committee and shared with reporters.Former Health and Human Services senior adviser Paul Alexander repeatedly urged his colleagues at HHS and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to pursue a herd immunity strategy amid the Covid-19 pandemic.One example is when he wrote in an email on July 3 that Americans 'must go on with life.''So the bottom line is if it is more infectiouness [sic] now the issue is who cares? If it is causing more cases in young my word is who cares...as long as we make sensible decisions and protect the elderely [sic] and nursing homes we must go on with life....who cares if we test more and get more positive tests' he wrote."";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"386;2020-12-17 12:00:00;13;""Former Trump appointee encouraged herd immunity strategy"";""Daniella Diaz Betsy Klein"";""CNN"";"""";"""";""(CNN) � A former top Trump appointee urged health o cials to adopt a 'herd immunity' approach to Covid-19 according to internal emails obtained by the House Oversight Committee and shared with reporters.Former Health and Human Services senior adviser Paul Alexander repeatedly urged his colleagues at HHS and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to pursue a herd immunity strategy amid the Covid-19 pandemic.One example is when he wrote in an email on July 3 that Americans 'must go on with life.''So the bottom line is if it is more infectiouness [sic] now the issue is who cares? If it is causing more cases in young my word is who cares...as long as we make sensible decisions and protect the elderely [sic] and nursing homes we must go on with life....who cares if we test more and get more positive tests' he wrote."";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"25;2020-12-17 12:00:00;13;""Former Trump appointee encouraged herd immunity strategy"";""Daniella Diaz Betsy Klein"";""CNN"";"""";"""";""In another email on July 4 Alexander wrote about people exposing themselves to the virus to establish herd immunity. 'There is no other way we need to establish herd and it only comes about allowing the non-high risk groups expose themselves to the virus. PERIOD.'"";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"26;2020-12-17 12:00:00;13;""Former Trump appointee encouraged herd immunity strategy"";""Daniella Diaz Betsy Klein"";""CNN"";"""";"""";""In another email on July 4 Alexander wrote about people exposing themselves to the virus to establish herd immunity. 'There is no other way we need to establish herd and it only comes about allowing the non-high risk groups expose themselves to the virus. PERIOD.'"";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"27;2020-12-17 12:00:00;13;""Former Trump appointee encouraged herd immunity strategy"";""Daniella Diaz Betsy Klein"";""CNN"";"""";"""";""'Dr. Paul Alexander previously served as a temporary Senior Policy Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Public A airs and is no longer employed at the Department' the spokesperson said adding 'Herd immunity is not the policy of the United States COVID-19 response.'"";"""";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"28;2020-12-17 12:00:00;13;""Former Trump appointee encouraged herd immunity strategy"";""Daniella Diaz Betsy Klein"";""CNN"";"""";"""";""'As we have specifically stated many times on the record and in print we emphatically deny that the White House the President the administration or anyone advising the President has pursued or advocated for any strategy of achieving herd immunity by letting the coronavirus infection spread through the community' he said at the time."";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"385;2020-12-18 12:00:00;11;""Key to achieving herd immunity is through vaccination Dr. John Raymond says"";""Margaret Naczek"";""Milwaukee Business Journal"";"""";"""";""Infection is not our pathway to herd immunity. Vaccination is� he said."";""John Raymond"";""Medical College of Wisconsin"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"19;2020-12-18 12:00:00;11;""Key to achieving herd immunity is through vaccination Dr. John Raymond says"";""Margaret Naczek"";""Milwaukee Business Journal"";"""";"""";""Dr. Laura Cassidy director of epidemiology at the Medical College of Wisconsin said one of the reasons Covid-19 became a pandemic so quickly is because it was a new virus and nobody was immune to it.'When we talk about herd immunity what we want to achieve is enough people vaccinated against the virus so it cant spread quickly. The best way to achieve that is through vaccination not through natural immunity by acquiring the disease' Cassidy said."";""Laura Cassidy"";""Medical College of Wisconsin"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"20;2020-12-18 12:00:00;12;""Late Night Compares Trump Health Adviser Paul Alexander to a Comic Book Villain"";""Trish Bendix"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""The former Health and Human Services adviser's leaked emails encouraged herd immunity to deal with the pandemic writing of Americans ''We want them infected.''"";""Paul Alexander"";""Health and Human Services Department"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"21;2020-12-18 12:00:00;12;""Late Night Compares Trump Health Adviser Paul Alexander to a Comic Book Villain"";""Trish Bendix"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""''If your plan to save humanity involves killing millions of people you're not a health adviser you're a Marvel villain.'' -- STEPHEN COLBERT"";""Stephen Colbert"";""Comedy Central"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"22;2020-12-18 12:00:00;12;""Late Night Compares Trump Health Adviser Paul Alexander to a Comic Book Villain"";""Trish Bendix"";""The New York Times"";"""";"""";""'''We want them infected.' That is some real super villain [expletive] right there. I mean Bane might say that but even he wouldn't put it down in an email.'' -- SETH MEYERS"";""Seth Myers"";""NBC"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"17;2020-12-20 12:00:00;15;""Probe: Trump officials attacked CDC reports about coronavirus spreadWASHINGTON �� Trump administration political appointees tried to block or..."";""Unspecified"";""Pittsburgh Tribune-Review"";"""";"""";""Rep. James Clyburn D-S.C. said his coronavirus subcommittee investigators have found evidence of a political pressure campaign� to bully� professionals at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in what may have been an attempt to cripple the nations coronavirus response in a misguided effort to achieve herd immunity.�"";""James Clyburn"";""United States Congress"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"16;2020-12-21 12:00:00;9;""Probe: Trump officials attacked CDC virus reports"";""Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar"";""Daily Herald"";"""";"""";""Rep. James Clyburn D-S.C. said his coronavirus subcommittee investigators have found evidence of a political pressure campaign� to bully� professionals at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in what may have been an attempt to cripple the nations coronavirus response in a misguided effort to achieve herdimmunity.�"";""James Clyburn"";""United States Congress"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"18;2020-12-21 12:00:00;10;""Probe: Trump officials attacked CDC virus reports"";""Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar"";""ABC News"";"""";"""";""Rep. James Clyburn D-S.C. said his coronavirus subcommittee investigators have found evidence of a political pressure campaign� to bully� professionals at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in what may have been an attempt to cripple the nation's coronavirus response in a misguided effort to achieve herd immunity.�"";""James Clyburn"";""United States Congress"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"723;2021-01-12 12:00:00;7;""Maximize the Vaccine As herd immunity comes nearer inoculate where it will do the most good."";""Holman W. Jenkins Jr"";""The Wall Street Journal Online"";"""";"""";""'Herd immunity' was a taboo term when paired with the word 'strategy' but needs to be rehabilitated now as a description of the goal that both vaccine and natural spread are helping us achieve."";""Holman Jenkins Jr"";""The Wall Street Journal"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Journalism/Media""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"15;2021-01-14 12:00:00;6;""Our Health: Here��s how herd immunity works"";""Kirk Wessler"";""The Telegraph"";"""";"""";""Thats why we need the vaccine� Lori said. When you have a very very contagious disease like this you need more of the population to be immune in order to control it. We need such high percentages we would never develop herd immunity naturally. You would have to have a large percentage of the population getting reinfected every three to nine months.The vaccine will allow more people in the population to build up that immunity. We dont know yet how long immunity due to the vaccine will last. But even if it means getting a yearly vaccination thats not unlike getting your yearly flu vaccine.�"";""Lori Grooms"";""OSF Healthcare"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Public Health/Medical""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"14;2021-01-18 12:00:00;5;""As coronavirus deaths climb critics blast DeSantis for using Floridians as test subjects in a �herd immunity strategy��"";""Jim Saunders"";""Orlando Weekly"";"""";"""";""Floridians are suffering as Governor Ron DeSantis' herd immunity strategy fully takes shape� the email said. We must continue to wear masks keep distance and avoid crowds to protect ourselves and each other as infections continue to skyrocket.�"";""Nikkie Fried"";""Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Political""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"4;2021-01-23 12:00:00;4;""The US is seeing the consequences of the coronavirus'' relatively unchecked spread. 3 people who supported that strategy now say they never..."";""Morgan McFall-Johnsen"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""'Herd immunity is not a strategy or a solution. It is surrender to a preventable virus' Marc Lipsitch an epidemiologist at the Harvard TH Chan School of PublicHealth said on Twitter in August."";""Marc Lipsitch"";""Harvard University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"5;2021-01-23 12:00:00;4;""The US is seeing the consequences of the coronavirus'' relatively unchecked spread. 3 people who supported that strategy now say they never..."";""Morgan McFall-Johnsen"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""'Essentially the right thing to do would be to not have done a lockdown for the whole country but to have I think anyone who's at risk should be quarantined until the storm passes' Musk said in a September interview on the podcast 'Sway.'"";""Elon Musk"";"""";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Business""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"6;2021-01-23 12:00:00;4;""The US is seeing the consequences of the coronavirus'' relatively unchecked spread. 3 people who supported that strategy now say they never..."";""Morgan McFall-Johnsen"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""'Essentially the right thing to do would be to not have done a lockdown for the whole country but to have I think anyone who's at risk should be quarantined until the storm passes' Musk said in a September interview on the podcast 'Sway.'"";""Elon Musk"";"""";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Business""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"7;2021-01-23 12:00:00;4;""The US is seeing the consequences of the coronavirus'' relatively unchecked spread. 3 people who supported that strategy now say they never..."";""Morgan McFall-Johnsen"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""When interviewer Kara Swisher pointed out that many people would perish in that approach Musk responded: 'Everybody dies.'"";""Elon Musk"";"""";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Business""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"8;2021-01-23 12:00:00;4;""The US is seeing the consequences of the coronavirus'' relatively unchecked spread. 3 people who supported that strategy now say they never..."";""Morgan McFall-Johnsen"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""'In the absence of immunization society needs circulation of the virus assuming high-risk people can be isolated' Atlas wrote in an op-ed for The Hill in April. 'It is very possible that whole-population isolation prevented natural herd immunity from developing.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Stanford University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"9;2021-01-23 12:00:00;4;""The US is seeing the consequences of the coronavirus'' relatively unchecked spread. 3 people who supported that strategy now say they never..."";""Morgan McFall-Johnsen"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""'In the absence of immunization society needs circulation of the virus assuming high-risk people can be isolated' Atlas wrote in an op-ed for The Hill in April. 'It is very possible that whole-population isolation prevented natural herd immunity from developing.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Stanford University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"10;2021-01-23 12:00:00;4;""The US is seeing the consequences of the coronavirus'' relatively unchecked spread. 3 people who supported that strategy now say they never..."";""Morgan McFall-Johnsen"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""'I firmly deny the false accusations that as a special advisor to the President I advocated at any time for 'herd immunity' via letting the infection spread as a scientific approach to the pandemic' Atlas told Insider. 'All policy considerations I recommended to the President were designed to reduce both the spread of the virus to the vulnerable and the structural harms to those impacted the most � the poor and working class of America.'"";""Scott Atlas"";""Donald Trump Administration"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"11;2021-01-23 12:00:00;4;""The US is seeing the consequences of the coronavirus'' relatively unchecked spread. 3 people who supported that strategy now say they never..."";""Morgan McFall-Johnsen"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""However Atlas praised the Great Barrington Declaration a document that argued for 'focused protection' � isolating and sheltering vulnerable populations like the elderly while letting everyone else go about their normal lives."";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""Great Barrington Declaration"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"12;2021-01-23 12:00:00;4;""The US is seeing the consequences of the coronavirus'' relatively unchecked spread. 3 people who supported that strategy now say they never..."";""Morgan McFall-Johnsen"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""'For people who are under let's say 60 or 50 the lockdown harms are mentally and physically worse than COVID' Jay Bhattacharya a professor of medicine at Stanford University and one of the three authors of the declaration said in a debate with Lipsitch in November."";""Jay Bhattacharya"";""Stanford University"";""At risk populations can be protected in herd immunity approach"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"166;2021-01-23 12:00:00;4;""The US is seeing the consequences of the coronavirus'' relatively unchecked spread. 3 people who supported that strategy now say they never..."";""Morgan McFall-Johnsen"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""'For people who are under let's say 60 or 50 the lockdown harms are mentally and physically worse than COVID' Jay Bhattacharya a professor of medicine at Stanford University and one of the three authors of the declaration said in a debate with Lipsitch in November."";""Jay Bhattacharya"";""Stanford University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"384;2021-01-23 12:00:00;4;""The US is seeing the consequences of the coronavirus'' relatively unchecked spread. 3 people who supported that strategy now say they never..."";""Morgan McFall-Johnsen"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""'For people who are under let's say 60 or 50 the lockdown harms are mentally and physically worse than COVID' Jay Bhattacharya a professor of medicine at Stanford University and one of the three authors of the declaration said in a debate with Lipsitch in November."";""Jay Bhattacharya"";""Stanford University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";1;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"13;2021-01-23 12:00:00;4;""The US is seeing the consequences of the coronavirus'' relatively unchecked spread. 3 people who supported that strategy now say they never..."";""Morgan McFall-Johnsen"";""Business Insider"";"""";"""";""'The agency or me never supported the herd immunity approach as a strategy.'"";""Anders Tegnell"";""Sweden Public Health Agency"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Government""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"2;2021-01-24 12:00:00;3;""Rate of positive antibody tests way up but herd immunity is still far off experts say"";""Alex Devoid"";""The Arizona Daily Star"";"""";"""";""Were nowhere near (herd immunity)� Lant said. Its not a viable strategy... unless you want to burn through the health-care system for another three months like this.�"";""Tim Lant"";""Arizona State University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"3;2021-01-24 12:00:00;3;""Rate of positive antibody tests way up but herd immunity is still far off experts say"";""Alex Devoid"";""The Arizona Daily Star"";"""";"""";""Were nowhere near (herd immunity)� Lant said. Its not a viable strategy... unless you want to burn through the health-care system for another three months like this.�"";""Tim Lant"";""Arizona State University"";""Healthcare services and capacity can be managed in herd immunity approach"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"1;2021-01-27 12:00:00;1;""Herd immunity on the horizon? Over 60% of North Dakotans may have had COVID-19"";""Patrick Springer"";""Fargo Forum"";"""";"""";""North Dakota could see another 10% or 15% of the population get infected he said. But you dont want that because thats a lot of people getting sick.�In North Dakota vaccines still will help � and still should be made available � but with so many already infected the pandemic should slowly dissipate Shaman said.In some ways the vaccine is much too late for you guys but it should be distributed there� he said."";""Jeffrey Shaman"";""Columbia University"";""Natural herd immunity is an appropriate or efficacious COVID-19 control strategy/natural herd immunity working or being achieved"";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"65;2021-01-27 12:00:00;1;""Herd immunity on the horizon? Over 60% of North Dakotans may have had COVID-19"";""Patrick Springer"";""Fargo Forum"";"""";"""";""North Dakota could see another 10% or 15% of the population get infected he said. But you dont want that because thats a lot of people getting sick.�In North Dakota vaccines still will help � and still should be made available � but with so many already infected the pandemic should slowly dissipate Shaman said.In some ways the vaccine is much too late for you guys but it should be distributed there� he said."";""Jeffrey Shaman"";""Columbia University"";""Consequences of lockdown/related control measures (economic loss delayed herd immunity/other health outcomes) exceed consequences of herd immunity approach (deaths disease spread) "";0;""Academic""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,