Better approachThe Right Approach to Getting out of the Current Crisis

Published 24 July 2020

Four leading Israeli researchers call for a realistic, science-based, myths-free approach to the coronavirus crisis. They argue that the Swedish approach, despite early localized setbacks, has not only been a success – it also helps explode the three myths which have led governments around the world to impose economically ruinous and socially destructive lockdowns. These myths are: 1) That the immunity triggered by infections does not last long, and hence cannot be relied upon to create herd immunity; 2) that in order to achieve herd immunity through infection-triggered immunity, at least 60 percent of the population must be infected; and 3) that the number of death resulting from wider infection would higher than the number of deaths resulting from economic lockdown and social restrictions.

Udi Kimron, Michael Levitt, Eyal Shachar, and Uri Gavish, four leading Israeli researchers in epidemiology, microbiology, clinical immunology, biology, and biomedicine published an important article in Haaretz, arguing for a realistic, science-based, myths-free approach to the coronavirus crisis (note: the article appeared in the Hebrew-language edition of Haaretz; we thank our Israeli friends for summarizing its main points for us).

Their authors first set the record straight with regard to the Swedish no-lockdown approach, asserting it a success, even if, initially, not enough attention was paid to isolating and protecting the elderly in nursing homes. Experts warned that the Swedish policy would result in 100,000, but in fact, the number of deaths in Sweden was 6 percent of that scary figure: Only 6,000 died, and their average age was 81.

As importantly, the spread of the virus in Sweden has slowed down dramatically because Sweden has achieved herd immunity – and did so without having 60 percent of the population infected. There is a lesson here: Far fewer that 20 percent of Swedes have been infected, but those infected have joined those in the population with a natural immunity to the COVID-19, creating a mass of Swedes immune to infection.

The four Israeli experts say that understanding the success of the Swedish case helps explode the three myths which have led governments around the world to impose economically ruinous and socially destructive lockdowns. These myths are: 1) That the immunity triggered by infections does not last long, and hence cannot be relied upon to create herd immunity; 2) that in order to achieve herd immunity through infection-triggered immunity, at least 60 percent of the population must be infected; and 3) that the number of death resulting from wider infection would higher than the number of deaths resulting from economic lockdown and social restrictions.