There were several elements that underpinned the devastating herd immunity strategy. This came with the tacit acknowledgment that hundreds of thousands of deaths were acceptable, most of which would occur among vulnerable and elderly people. Finally, there was the idea that the health of the economy needed to be balanced with public health. Even after the consequences of the herd immunity strategy became clear, the idea still casts a shadow over our pandemic response. The government chose to ignore this advice, instead meeting scientists who were proponents of the “naturally acquired herd immunity” strategy.

Source: The Guardian May 27, 2021 06:00 UTC