Is Herd Immunity Against SARS-CoV-2 a Silver Lining?

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Ramachandran Vignesh, University of Kuala Lumpur; Esaki M. Shankar, Central University of Tamil Nadu; Vijayakumar Velu, Emory University; Sadras Panchatcharam Thyagarajan, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education & Research
• Language: English
• Date: 2020-09-30
• Publisher: FRONTIERS MEDIA SA
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2020 Vignesh, Shankar, Velu and Thyagarajan
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2020.586781
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
• Volume: 11
• Start Page: 586781
• End Page: 586781
• Grant/Funding Information: VV was supported by Emory University CFAR grant P30 AI050409 and NCRR/NIH base grants P30 RR00165, P51OD011132 (to Y.N.P.R.C.).
• Keywords: seroprevalence; TIME; INFECTION; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; SARS; coronavirus disease 2019; CONVALESCENT PLASMA; ANTIBODIES; CORONAVIRUS; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2; Immunology; herd immunity; Science & Technology; THERAPY; vaccines
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Immunology; Health Sciences, Public Health

Abstract

The emergence of a novel coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in late 2019 and its wide global spread has led to millions of infections and substantial morbidity and mortality (1). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection can range from mild self-limiting disease to acute respiratory distress syndrome and death (2). With the WHO having reported 31,174,627 confirmed cases and 962,613 deaths globally as of 22nd September 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic seems to show almost poor indication of abating (3). While the global scientific community is racing against time to strategize combating possibilities, with several vaccine trials, drug discoveries and validations underway, we still need a practical and sustainable solution to face the ongoing threat to global public health.