Quote:
Originally Posted by Lakegeezer
A major problem with opening things up now is the need to respect the medical staff. Without a supply of proper protection equipment and proven ways to treat the staff that get infected, they are acting as heroes. People on the front lines have repeatedly asked that people avoid getting sick so that they can minimize their personal risk. To open up now is to treat these heroes with disrespect. How can you ask someone to risk their life because you assumed the virus wouldn't hit you hard, so mingled with crowds and caught it bad. Could you blame the staff if they all called in sick during a non-essential driven surge of severe cases?
Once protective equipment is readily available (any day now?) and catching this novel virus has lower risks (many trials in progress), opening up and letting herd immunity build is a viable strategy, especially for those that don't come in contact with people at risk. People are still going to die from this virus, but we can't continue to ask the medical staff to be among them without sharing the pain.
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Totally agree with you with one caution. Herd immunity only works if the antibodies formed after infection actually do protect against reinfection. And if they do protect, how long will they protect.....three weeks, three years, forever?? And the same answers, among others, need to be answered before any vaccine is used for everyone.
No one really yet knows the answer and it is vital information as we move forward.