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The idea of usingherd immunityto manage the COVID-19pandemic — by allowing low - risk people to adopt the infection naturally as they take up their normal life — is a " grave " and " flawed " approach , according to a new missive signal by 80 international researchers .
The letter , published Wednesday ( Oct. 14 ) in the journalThe Lancet , appear to be a response to theGreat Barrington declaration , a proposal publish earlier this month by three investigator that phone for an end to COVID-19 limitation in favor of a herd - granting immunity strategy . Such a scheme , the declaration says , would necessitate provide young and healthy hoi polloi to come back to their normal lives and work up up immunity to the virus , while protect vulnerable populations .
The Great Barrington declaration has allegedly been signed by tens of 1000 of experts and medical practitioners , as well as members of the worldwide populace ; however , the text file garnered more disputation last hebdomad when many theme song were find to be fake , according toThe Guardian .
The new letter , called theJohn Snow Memorandum , after the pioneer epidemiologist John Snow who first tied a London cholera outbreak to a contaminated water ticker , calls this ruck - immunity conception " a dangerous fallacy unsupported by scientific grounds . " Evidence shows it is not potential to cut back uncontrolled outbreaks of COVID-19 to finical sectors of society , allot to the authors , who let in expert in public health , epidemiology , virology , infectious diseases and other scientific fields . " Uncontrolled transmitting in younger people risk significant unwholesomeness and mortality across the whole population , " they wrote .
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What ’s more , understand who is vulnerable to COVID-19 is complex , and even young and seemingly healthy people have arise long - lasting symptoms after infection with COVID-19 , cognize as " long COVID , " the authors say .
Additionally , there ’s no solid grounds that hoi polloi grow lastingimmunity after born contagion with COVID-19 . So permit more people to catch the disease " would not end the COVID-19 pandemic but ensue in repeated epidemics " and " place an unacceptable encumbrance on the economy and wellness fear proletarian . "
As the United States and Europe face a second wafture of COVID-19 cases , it " is critical to act resolutely and urgently , " the memorandum argues .
In the short terminal figure , limitation will in all likelihood be call for to reduce transmission and give countries time to secure " uneffective pandemic response systems " to preclude succeeding lockdowns , agree to the missive .
" The purpose of these restrictions is to effectively suppress SARS - CoV-2 [ the virus that causes COVID-19 ] infections to down in the mouth levels that permit rapid detection of localized irruption and [ a ] speedy response … so life can return to near - normal without the want for generalised restrictions . "
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The authors noted that commonwealth such as Japan , Vietnam and New Zealand have demonstrate that it is potential to control COVID-19 transmittance with the right public health tactics . In those countries , life has returned to near - normal .
" The evidence is very clear : Controlling community scatter of COVID-19 is the good way to protect our societies and economy until safe and effectivevaccinesand therapeutics arrive within the coming months , " the authors conclude .
Originally published on Live Science .
