Haven't You Heard the Herd is History?

Remarkably, the Covid19 pandemic appears to have been relegated, by the UK media, to a footnote in the news. The virus certainly hasn't 'gone away'. Devi Sridhar (University of Edinburgh) concludes that Sars-CoV-2 is now actually 'embedded' in our world (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/apr/12/herd-immunity-covid-reinfection-virus-world). Sridhar reiterates that several countries (notably, Sweden, The Netherlands and the UK), initially followed the thinking behind the early giving of the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine to most children. The concept of 'herd immunity' was developed. This maintains that vaccinating the majority (the herd), protects a more vulnerable minority who can't/don't receive a jab. Unfortunately, Covid19 is completely unlike MMR, where vaccination lasts a lifetime and reinfections are rare. Sars-CoV-2 infections are currently actually rocketing in the UK. This is in spite of that country's estimated 98% seroprevalence (people with blood antibodies to the virus). Omicron variant infections are also occurring in fully-vaccinated individuals. Sridhar's conclusion is that, in the case of Sars-CoV-2, 'herd immunity' is an impossibility. Accepting that, she advocates a triad of testing (the end of free lateral flow tests will be a problem in this area); therapeutics (making use of the recently-developed anti-virals) and vaccines to manage Covid19. Covid19 is unlike the Common cold and its ability to spread has to be curtailed in workplaces etc. Sridhar also believes the UK government needs to plan, to make a rapid response to problematic new variants arising. New variants will continue to evolve. She also thinks that rapid testing and one-way mask wearing must stay in place, for those most at risk of infection (people working in medical or care situations) and the very vulnerable (the elderly and the immunocompromised). Sridhar also points out that much more investment is needed to find solutions to 'Long Covid'. This is a growing problem, destroying the lives of people suffering the condition. 'Herd immunity', however, won't be helping society's ability to 'live with' the virus.