It may be impossible to achieve herd immunity. Immunity to other coronaviruses is not permanent, and it is uncertain whether Covid-19 antibodies will actually protect against reinfection. In addition, there are technical issues with developing a vaccine.
The ideal situation is to completely eliminate the disease. That means social distancing, washing hands frequently, etc. We have a better chance of finding a drug to treat this than finding a vaccine at this point. I am hoping that once summer comes, we will have a reprieve to really fight this.
I keep seeing people worrying about the economy and advocating for a return to normal while the pandemic is still underway. That actually would be worse economically than the current measures. What happens if we reach a point where millions are infected and tens of thousands are dying every day? Isn't that just a little hard on the economy?
I agree with you regarding a treatment being the most important thing...however I am not a scientist and am endanger of talking out of my nether regions in regards to medical matters. It just makes sense, given how hard it is to acquire reliable vaccines for viruses. We don’t have either a vaccine or cure for the common cold.
But holding back the economy is perhaps even a faster way to societal destruction. In the Great Depression, we came very close to going socialist, capitalist economies don’t get to fail many times before the totalitarians sweep in and take over. We could go full-on socialist as early as November if the economy remains in the tank. AOC and her Muslim friends could well become the power in D.C. if the economic collapse continues.
So which mode of destruction do we prefer...the virus taking out a couple million of us older folks, or the totalitarians sweeping into power? Either one could end us...but economic collapse WILL certainly end, us and blazingly fast.
It might be... depending on who is dying. If they're 99% elderly and infirmed, it's not that big an economic hit.
That would be tragic... but, so far, we haven't see that kind of impact from this virus, anywhere. Far from it.
If there were no herd immunity from this virus, why would the rate of new cases be dropping virtually everywhere? If this virus is THAT contagious, social distancing wouldn't be stopping it.
My China team is virtually back to normal. They're traveling again, eating in restaurants again. Somehow, it's not spreading there anymore.
If we can't get herd immunity, and we don't have a vaccine, then... how do you "get rid of it"?