A recent news article published in the NJ states that according to Dr. Anthony Fauci ‘herd immunity may not apply’ to COVID.
Classical herd Immunity
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infection Diseases (NIAID), said in an interview with CNN on Friday “the concept of classical herd immunity may not apply” to the coronavirus.
COVID-19 mutates a lot, and not enough people have taken the vaccine, Fauci said.
“We’ve already experienced over a period of two years that we’ve had five separate variants Alpha, Beta, Delta, Omicron. And now BA.2 from Omicron one,” Fauci said.
No lifelong immunity
There also has not yet been a vaccine for COVID-19 that produces lifelong immunity, according to Fauci.
Unlike COVID-19, Fauci said measles is a case study in successful herd immunity.
Like the coronavirus, the measles virus spreads through the air, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Vaccine hesitancy at large
The U.S. was able to eliminate measles because of the development of an effective vaccine that creates lifelong immunity, a highly successful childhood vaccination program and the fact that measles does not mutate.
However, as seen during the coronavirus pandemic, vaccine hesitancy can lead measles to resurface.
“The World Health Organization warned in 2019 that measles could become endemic again around the world as more people refuse their shots,” CNN said.
Hopeful experts on herd Immunity
Experts remain hopeful herd immunity for COVID-19 is attainable by producing more effective vaccines, despite Fauci’s research findings.
Companies are working on vaccines that endure virus mutations and nasal sprays with antibodies that prevent transmission.
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Source: NJ
