Doctors push back against “herd immunity” as COVID-19 cases spike

(NBC News)  There is a growing concern as a majority of the country continues to deal with a dramatic increase in the number of new COVID-19 infections.

Doctors are worried the spike will continue as we move into the cold and flu season, compounding the strain on hospital systems and putting more patients at risk.

“We are in a very precarious situation in the United States,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases warns.

In the last week 36 states, plus the District of Columbia, have recorded double-digit increases in coronavirus infections, with 25 states showing an uptick in deaths as well.

The spike comes as the White House seems to be suggesting a turn toward so-called “herd immunity,” letting the virus run its course.

Two senior White House officials referenced a document this week that says in part “those who are not vulnerable should immediately be allowed to resume life as normal.”

That prompted 80 medical experts to sign an open letter from leading researchers in “The Lancet” medical journal calling that approach “a dangerous fallacy unsupported by the scientific evidence.”

Read more: https://nbcnews.to/376voXT

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