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Britain will seek coronavirus ‘herd immunity’ covertly or by default - thanks
to the failure of lockdown

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   In Cork city, the public health officials repeatedly said that there
   was no alternative but to let the epidemic burn itself  out,
   establishing what would now be called “herd immunity”. Efficient and
   experienced doctors, they were dismissive of those wanting to isolate
   Cork city and its inhabitants by cutting rail and road links to the
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   Over half a century after the Cork epidemic, the British government and
   its medical advisers find themselves in something of the same dilemma.
   They clearly considered “herd immunity”, and going down the same road
   as Sweden, but they jumped away from the idea when it met with a
   fiercely negative public reaction. "Our aim," said the chief scientific
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   fiercely negative public reaction. "Our aim," said the chief scientific
   officer Sir Patrick Valance on 13 March, ten day before lockdown, “is
   to build up some degree of herd immunity whilst protecting the most
   vulnerable".

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   the government did not do as mass deaths in the care homes
   demonstrated. Countries around the world were likewise soon denying
   that they were pursuing “herd immunity” as the phrase became a synonym
   for state-sponsored euthanasia. Leaving aside the victims in the care
   homes, critics pointed out that, in addition to those that died, many
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   homes, critics pointed out that, in addition to those that died, many
   would be permanently disabled, nor was there in any case, any guarantee
   that mass infection would confer long term immunity.

   The dynamics of epidemics, their lethal ebbs and flows, are
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   people getting the illness.

   Yet six months from “herd immunity” being pilloried worldwide as the
   equivalent of poisoning the wells, Britain may covertly or by default
   may be adopting just such a policy.
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   may be adopting just such a policy.

   The reason for this creeping volte-face  is that while “herd immunity”
   may or may not be achievable, the alternative policy of lockdown looks
   more and more like a bad bargain, bringing economic devastation in
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     * Boris Johnson
     * herd immunity
     * Coronavirus

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Britain will seek 'herd immunity' covertly or by default

   Boris Johnson