Herd immunity is a risky coronavirus strategy

As the United States enters the fall with schools still closed in many parts of the country and many businesses still forced to operate with significant restrictions, the idea of a “herd immunity” strategy for fighting the coronavirus is gaining some traction.

It’s easy to see the appeal of such an approach. Despite widespread and sustained lockdowns, the coronavirus has still spread in the U.S., with about 6 million infections and over 180,000 deaths. So, while the business-destroying restrictions have not prevented the virus from doing damage, the isolation has prevented a lot of people from developing natural immunity, not to mention all the other devastating societal impacts of the lockdowns.