Under 10% of Americans have antibodies to fight off coronavirus, which may mean the United States is not close to achieving herd immunity, according to a study published in The Lancet.
Researchers examined blood samples from 28,500 patients on dialysis in 46 states.
The results mirrored research scheduled to be released next week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which discovered that only 10% of blood samples throughout the United States contained coronavirus antibodies.
Dr. Robert R. Redfield, the director of the CDC, pointed to that data while addressing a congressional committee this week saying 90% of people in the United States are susceptible to coronavirus.
President Donald Trump has said the herd immunity could do away with the need for lockdowns, mask-wearing and social distancing efforts. In theory, herd immunity would surge through the population while sheltering people in high-risk populations.
Some public health officials have said that the plan would cause hundreds of thousands of deaths since it’s not possible to protect elderly Americans or those with diabetes, heart disease and other underlying conditions.
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