One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
Herd Immunity To Coronavirus May Be A Dead End, Experts Caution
(NIAID-RML)
Medical experts are urging caution against the idea of achieving "herd immunity" against the coronavirus — that's when so many people become immune to a disease it can't spread as rapidly, or at all.
Experts say we don't know enough about the role natural antibodies play in the human body's response to the virus and whether those defenses last long enough to permanently protect someone from becoming infected again.
Dr. Kimberley Shriner, an infectious disease specialist at Pasadena's Huntington Hospital, says some calculations estimate 60% to 70% of the population would need to be exposed to the virus.
"That's a pretty tall order. Right now, I think the general consensus is L.A. is running around maybe 11% — and that would be an awful lot of people being awfully sick, and many of them dying. So I think that's a very high price to pay to try to achieve natural herd immunity."
LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW ON AIRTALK:
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter. To support our nonprofit public service journalism: Donate now.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
