Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Biden Team Fears: No COVID Herd Immunity Until Thanksgiving
The Daily Beast ^ | February 9, 2021 | Erin Banco

Posted on 02/09/2021 5:59:40 PM PST by MinorityRepublican

Top members of Biden’s COVID response team are warning internally that the U.S. may not reach herd immunity until Thanksgiving or even the start of winter—months later than originally calculated—according to two senior administration officials.

In an interview with CBS News this week, President Joe Biden hinted at some of these concerns, saying it would be “very difficult” to reach herd immunity—a population-wide resistance to the virus—“much before the end of the summer” with the current daily rate of approximately 1.3 million vaccine doses. Other top officials working on the federal government’s COVID-19 response say the are uneasy about vaccine supply long term and the impact on herd immunity, and have begun to explore ways to expand U.S. manufacturing capacity, potentially through new partnerships with outside pharmaceutical firms.

Beyond supply issues, though, top health officials say they are increasingly worried about the United Kingdom and South African COVID-19 variants, the likelihood that more variants will emerge in the coming months, and the possibility that those variants will evade the vaccines. There is some evidence to suggest that both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines protect against the B117 United Kingdom variant, though a recent study shows a new mutation could make the vaccines less effective. Data gathered by the Novavax and Johnson and Johnson clinical trials in South Africa suggest their vaccines are less effective against the variant spreading rapidly in the country. And South Africa recently said it was halting the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine because evidence from clinical trials suggested the vaccine did not work well against the variant.

(Excerpt) Read more at thedailybeast.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Health/Medicine; Science
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-89 last
To: a fool in paradise

I’m not in my 90’s. But, I’m old enough to recognize how different your attitudes and priorities change from when you’re a teenager, twenties, thirties, forties, fifties... Believe it or not, trying to scare people like me with death is a dog that just won’t hunt.


81 posted on 02/10/2021 12:02:08 AM PST by The Right Edge (Staunch Trump Supporter AND PROUD to be!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: a fool in paradise

When you get to my age, you may find that your statement is profound, even prophetic... sometimes disappointingly so.


82 posted on 02/10/2021 12:09:06 AM PST by The Right Edge (Staunch Trump Supporter AND PROUD to be!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: Paul R.

I think quite a few people gained 10 pounds last year by the summer and it was being discussed in the news.


83 posted on 02/10/2021 5:51:57 AM PST by a fool in paradise (Call on Joe Biden to follow Donald Trump's example and donate his annual salary to charity. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: Paul R.

50% figure doesn’t come from this article. But the US isn’t the only country with obesity.

Look around and you’ll find articles stating that 50% of Europeans are also obese...


84 posted on 02/10/2021 5:54:18 AM PST by a fool in paradise (Call on Joe Biden to follow Donald Trump's example and donate his annual salary to charity. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 75 | View Replies]

To: The Right Edge

My wife is on the mailing list of two large local churches.

There are cases of CV, but most are very mild.

The flu in earlier years was much more severe.


85 posted on 02/10/2021 7:09:59 AM PST by cgbg (A kleptocracy--if they can keep it. Think of it as the Cantillon Effect in action.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 80 | View Replies]

To: kelly4c

Do your P’s watch church services and other activities streamed and / or posted online by their church?

I find that much more fulfilling than watching the “commercial pastors on TV”.

Strictly speaking, I mostly play those services for my Mom who is homebound by severe arthritis, but since I’m often caring for her on weekends, it works out well for me, too. The pastors often visit to distribute Communion, weekdays, so if I’m at Mom’s then, I can take Communion also. That latter is rather random - it happens maybe once a month for me, but, at least there is that.


86 posted on 02/10/2021 10:50:07 PM PST by Paul R. (You know your pullets are dumb if they don't recognize a half Whopper as food!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 77 | View Replies]

To: MinorityRepublican

So, if you’re scared, STAY HOME. Don’t try to restrict the movement of those of us who want a return to normal.

Ms. JimRed and I each had it and recovered, and we each have underlying medical conditions that (according to the “experts”) indicate that we should be dead. I want to get back into the gym and play some ball with those 40-50 year old kids and stop at the pub after for an Irish session and sing-along. If I die, I die...it will be my time.


87 posted on 02/11/2021 9:52:27 AM PST by JimRed (TERM LIMITS, NOW! Build the Wall Faster! TRUTH is the new HATE SPEECH.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Skywise
I don’t know about you all - but my state’s infection rate has dropped by almost 70% in the last 3 weeks.

They were lying about the infection rate since last February.

88 posted on 02/11/2021 9:54:14 AM PST by JimRed (TERM LIMITS, NOW! Build the Wall Faster! TRUTH is the new HATE SPEECH.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: FlingWingFlyer
Fun fact: Most people are familiar with the term "flock of pigeons" and even "gaggle of geese," but fewer may know that a group of turkeys is called a "rafter".


89 posted on 02/11/2021 9:57:23 AM PST by Magnum44 (...against all enemies, foreign and domestic...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-89 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson