Leading scientists plead for herd immunity for everyone except the “vulnerable and elderly”

Experts say that people who are less vulnerable to coronavirus symptoms should be allowed to “restart their normal lives.”

The blockade prevention petition, endorsed by 4,000 leading scientists, calls for a herd immunity approach. COVID-19 Pandemic..

The new Declaration has reached a total of over 40,000 signatures, including support from scholars and the general public around the world.

It seeks to bring life back to normal while protecting the most vulnerable people, such as the elderly and those with existing medical conditions.

Scholars at Oxford, Cambridge, Nottingham, Edinburgh, Excelter, Strasclide, Lester, Sussex, York, St. George’s University, University of East Anglia, and Queen May London University are signed experts around the world. Declaration.

However, the petition says that Sir Simon Stephens, the leader of the British NHS, will ask everyone over the age of 65 for a shield to delay the transmission of the second wave of Covid-19, “age-based. It is done after stating that it is “apartheid”.

Another expert said the declaration has long ignored evidence. CoronavirusThousands of healthy young people infected with the virus have symptoms of debilitation after a mild infection.

Professor Jeremy Rothman also points out that there have been cases of reinfection with the coronavirus, arguing that the study suggests that the protective antibody response may “decline rapidly.” ..

Sweden called “successful alternative” Blockade Skeptic “We were unable to successfully protect vulnerable populations,” he added, when they adopted the herd immunity approach.

The so-called Great Barrington Declaration states: “As epidemiologists and public health scientists of infectious diseases, we are seriously concerned about the negative effects of the general Covid-19 policy on physical and mental health and recommend an approach called centralized protection. I am.

“Current blockade policies have devastating effects on short-term and long-term public health.

“Results (to name a few) include lower vaccination rates in childhood, worsening cardiovascular outcomes, fewer cancer screenings, and worse mental health. Over-mortality increases annually, with younger members of the working class and society being the heaviest burden.

“It is a serious injustice to keep students from going to school.

“Continuing to implement these measures until the vaccine is available will disproportionately harm the underprivileged and cause irreparable damage.

“We know that old people are more than 1000 times more vulnerable to death from Covid-19 than young people. In fact, for children, Covid-19 has many other harms, including influenza. Less dangerous than.

“Building immunity in a population reduces the risk of transmission to all people, including vulnerable people. All populations eventually reach herd immunity, which means that new infection rates are stable. We know that it will be time to do so. It is supported by the vaccine (but not dependent on the vaccine). Therefore, our goal is to minimize mortality and social harm until we reach herd immunity. To limit it.

“The most compassionate approach to balancing the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is for people with minimal risk of death to build immunity to the virus through natural infections while at the same time living a normal life. It is to be possible. The highest risk.

“This is called centralized protection.”

In addition, “People who are not vulnerable should be able to immediately resume their normal lives.

“Simple hygiene measures, such as washing hands and staying at home when ill, need to be practiced by everyone to lower the herd immunity threshold.

“Schools and colleges should be open for face-to-face teaching. Extracurricular activities such as sports should be resumed.

“Low-risk young adults should work normally, not from home. Restaurants and other businesses should be opened.

“Arts, music, sports and other cultural activities need to be resumed. People at greater risk can participate if they wish, but society as a whole is given to the vulnerable by those who have built herd immunity. Enjoy the protection provided. “

Professor Rothman commented on the declaration, which Herd immunity It can be achieved because it relies on “sustained immunological protection from coronavirus reinfection” and focuses only on the risk of death from Covid-19.

Professor James Nicesmith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute and the University of Oxford, said: “The main signatories include many skilled scientists who are interested in reading.

“This declaration carries the same risk of error as seen in the UK tracking and quarantine scheme. It is very easy to explain, but we can promise a scheme that is difficult to provide.”

He added that the declaration omits some “important scientific information.”