Forums

[Adder]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

But until you have that magical 60-70% of people infected to have herd immunity, you can't allow liberal travel to and from other countries. I understand the logic, but isn't that strategy elongating the timetable for return to normal robust trade and travel?



I've heard the argument that herd immunity is a strategy - that it's defined as carefully reaching the needed infection threshold. But this misinterprets the term. Herd immunity is a goal. If you get there by mass infection which is uncontrolled, I agree, that's not the best way to do so. But however you get there, you get there. If through mass uncontrolled infection, 60-70% of US residents acquire the virus, then we have reached herd immunity. The wisdom or folly of how we got there is a separate issue.

On your last point, I agree that if you think of the herd as the whole planet, any single country achieving herd immunity is not global herd immunity. But the construct under which the countries which have "beaten" the virus for the moment are operating is nation-centric. They're defining the sphere about which they are concerned as the population within their own borders.

Aside from describing Hong Kong as a island, this, from Vox, is a good explanation of what we've done and why and what we should be doing: https://www.vox.com/2020/5/6/2124105...FWyLM9xS62cJ8U