Herd immunity wouldn’t work without overwhelming the NHS, study finds

Relying on the herd immunity strategy in Britain wouldn’t work because the risk of overwhelming the NHS would be too great, a study suggests. Researchers modelled how the controversial strategy, which was pondered by the UK government in March, would play out in different scenarios. They found letting the virus run rampant with no preventative rules … Read more

Sir Patrick Vallance and Professor Chris Whitty faced backlash over ‘herd immunity’, emails show

Sir Patrick Vallance and Professor Chris Whitty faced backlash over the ‘herd immunity’ strategy in March and asked for help to ‘calm down’ angry academics, emails show. The top experts leading Britain out of its Covid-19 crisis had a hard time backtracking from comments they made about the controversial strategy at the start of the … Read more

Sweden’s second wave? Cases rise in Stockholm prompting concerns over supposed ‘herd immunity’

Has Sweden’s second wave begun? Cases rise in Stockholm prompting concerns over supposed ‘herd immunity’ Its chief epidemiologist said new measures for Stockholm could not be ruled out Anders Tegnell also claims success against winter flu has caused high death toll It comes after capital’s top health official warned region has seen surge in cases It … Read more

SAGE admits Britain hasn’t got herd immunity and calls for policies to slash R rate

Britain does not have herd immunity from coronavirus and must work to keep the R rate below one, top Government scientists warn in newly released meeting minutes.  Blood tests revealed immunity was as low as six per cent in the UK by September 3, with research suggesting this may fall as those that have suffered … Read more

John Caudwell says government ‘should have let public build up herd immunity’

Billionaire Tory party donor John Caudwell is facing a backlash after suggesting the government should have made the public build up herd immunity against coronavirus.  The tycoon, who lives in Britain’s most expensive home – an opulent £250 million 15-bedroom Mayfair mega mansion – made the comments on Question Time as it returned to the … Read more

Could face masks build IMMUNITY to Covid-19? Scientists theorise

The mass use of face masks and coverings may be acting as a type of crude ‘vaccine’ against coronavirus, scientists have claimed.  People are urged to wear masks to catch droplets from their breath and reduce the risk of them spreading the virus if they have it without knowing, not to protect themselves from catching … Read more

Glimmers of hope for immunity in survivors of mild COVID-19

We’re still at least months away from a coronavirus vaccine – but studies suggest that that millions of people who have recovered from the infection will be  protected against getting it again for at least three months.  Much of the research and discussion of coronavirus immunity has focused on antibodies, with some suggesting these SARS-CoV-2-specific … Read more

Britain still far off herd immunity as just 1-in-16 people are infected

Just one-in-16 people in England were infected with Covid-19 during the first wave of the pandemic, a major study has found.  The figure, which accounts for around six per cent of the population, was discovered after scientists from Imperial College London sent out 100,000 home anti-body testing kits to volunteers between June 20 and July 13.  … Read more

Stockholm blow for hopes that herd immunity will combat the coronavirus

Herd immunity does not work as a Covid strategy, research suggests. Sweden, which never imposed a national lockdown, claimed herd immunity would protect its population. This tactic would have meant so many people contracting and becoming resistant to Covid that it would no longer spread. But analysis by University College London suggests the nation is … Read more