A study released Monday by Stanford University found that just one in eleven Americans have tested positive for coronavirus antibodies, supporting a statement by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield in Congressional testimony last week.
The White House contradicted Redfield’s assertion about the prevalence of antibodies in Americans in an effort to reassure the public as Trump and republicans push to reopen the economy and schools even though infection rates in the United States remain high.
The study also undercuts Kentucky republican Senator Rand Paul claim that having a common cold is a way to develop antibodies against COVID-19.
“This is the largest study to date to confirm that we are nowhere near herd immunity,” said Julie Parsonnet, MD, Stanford professor of medicine and of epidemiology and population health, referring to the point at which a large part of the population becomes immune to a specific disease, a process which many conservatives believe is the answer to opening business.
Called “herd mentality” by Trump, “herd immunity” would require more than 60% of the population to be exposed to the coronavirus. Extrapolating data, that would require more than 200 million Americans get the virus, which at current case fatality rates, would lead to about 5 million fatalities.