A group of experts from Germany was critical of the ideas of allowing mass infections with the coronavirus. As they argue, there are too many people in risk groups.
/INA FASSBENDER / AFP /AFP
Leading German virologist prof. Christian Drosten and other scientists in the field warn against a strategy of easing pandemic restrictions in order to create in society the so-called herd immunity.
“We acknowledge with concern that the voices that opt for natural contamination of large sections of society as a strategy to combat the pandemic are growing again,” reads a statement from the German Virological Society (GfV), which Christian Drosten also signed.
Herd immunity means that a large proportion of the population has acquired immunity against the virus through past infection or vaccination. This prevents the virus from spreading so easily anymore.
Virologists refer in their text to the so-called Great Barrington statement, issued by three scientists from the US and UK. It says that “the most empathetic approach when considering the risks and benefits of herd immunity is to enable those with a minimal risk of death to live a normal life, so that through natural infections they acquire immunity, while those who are most at risk,” they should be better protected. “
The authors of this appeal argue that large restrictions will cause irreparable damage to the most disadvantaged layers.
However, German experts from the Virological Society reply that an uncontrolled increase in the number of infections would lead to an increasing number of deaths. Even with the careful isolation of the elderly, they argue, there are still other risk groups that are too numerous and too diverse, and sometimes unrecognized, and therefore difficult to isolate.
“For example, obese people, diabetics, cancer patients, people with kidney and liver diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, after strokes, transplantations or pregnant women have an increased risk of severe course of COVID-19” – it was noted.
In order to achieve herd immunity, about 60% would have to be resistant to the virus. society – US scientists estimate in an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Immunity in this case means that the person does not carry the virus any further. However, Heidelberg virologists point out that it is not yet known how durable the acquired immunity after infection is.
Therefore – according to them – trying to develop herd immunity without the use of vaccines is unethical and also highly risky from a medical, social and economic point of view. Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned against attempts to develop herd immunity through massive infections.
(DPA / higher)
Polish editorial office of Deutsche Welle
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