https://www.foxnews.com/health/clay-ackerly-coronavirus-herd-immunity-wishful-thinking
A Washington D.C.-based internist and former Harvard Medical School faculty member has claimed the idea that herd immunity may slow the coronavirus pandemic is "wishful thinking" after a 50-year-old patient was infected for a second time with COVID-19.
"During
his first infection, my patient experienced a mild cough and sore
throat," Dr. Clay Ackerly explained in an opinion piece for Vox. "His
second infection, in contrast, was marked by a high fever, shortness of
breath, and hypoxia, resulting in multiple trips to the hospital.
"It
is possible, but unlikely, that my patient had a single infection that
lasted three months," Dr. Ackerly added. "Some Covid-19 patients (now
dubbed 'long haulers') do appear to suffer persistent infections and
symptoms.
"My patient, however, cleared his infection — he had two
negative PCR tests after his first infection — and felt healthy for
nearly six weeks."
In no way am I disputing the medical opinion of the well credentialed and experienced physician in regard to herd immunity.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem to me, however, that it is possible the mild first case of the patient he described may have not been sufficient to produce a strong enough immune case to ward off the second case. The more severe second case, though, may be enough to ward off a third case.