Geneva: The planet is nowhere near achieving herd immunity to coronavirus, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.
The head of its health emergencies programme, Dr Michael Ryan, dismissed the theory at a press briefing in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday.
He said the world is not close to the amount of COVID-19 immunity needed to induce herd immunity.
It is typically achieved with the aid of vaccination and scientists estimate that at least 70% of the population must have antibodies to prevent an outbreak.
A tv grab taken from the World Health Organization website shows World Health Organization (WHO) Health Emergencies Programme Director Michael Ryan delivering a virtual news briefing on COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) at the WHO headquarters in Geneva on March 23, 2020. – The new coronavirus pandemic is clearly “accelerating”, WHO chief warned on March 23, 2020, but stressed it was still possible to “change the trajectory” of the outbreak. (Photo by – / AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)
Dr Ryan said the world should not live “in hope” of achieving herd immunity to coronavirus.
“As a global population, we are nowhere close to the levels of immunity required to stop this disease transmitting,” he said.
“This is not a solution and not a solution we should be looking to.”
Studies conducted so far suggest only about 10% to 20% of people have antibodies.
