Herd Immunity is a Dangerous Strategy

Herd Immunity is not an advisable health strategy for COVID-19, period. Most have seen the reports of the millions that would need to die to reach herd immunity. There is another point that only compounds the argument against herd immunity. 

All viruses mutate when they are given fodder for growth. Mutations have and are continuing to be documented with SARS-Cov-2. The more a virus is allowed to replicate and persist, the more chance it has to mutate. Whatever we see with the virus now can change as we fail to contain it. So as we irresponsibly fail to contain this virus through mechanisms at our fingertips, we are laying the ground for the emergence of new strains that can have more morbidity for all and for which we have to develop new vaccines.

As we lose time containing this virus, we are increasing the chances for the development of a strain that may have more morbidity for different groups, for anyone, really.

There are strategies to contain this virus that everyone can practice; they are as relevant as they were when this outbreak began. Maintain social distance. Avoid large gatherings indoors. Wash hands. Wear a mask. Masks get better and more comfortable every day. Wearing them gets more comfortable with practice. Soon there will be affordable and effective ones that one can see through. The more we wear them, the more we free and encourage the market to develop better masks. I used to wear a mask for six- to ten-hour stretches at a time on an almost daily basis and health care professionals facing this virus to keep the public safe do the same. If they can do this, we all can. To modify the famous line from Jerry Maguire, "Help Us Help You."

Kimberly Gandy, M.D., Ph.D., is a Northwestern/Stanford/Duke trained physician-scientist with over 25 years of experience at the intersection of science, medicine, and technology.