The U.S. May Never Reach Full Herd Immunity Against Coronavirus, Former FDA Head Says

“I don’t really think we’re ever going to reach full herd immunity,” Gottlieb told Margaret Brennan on CBS’ Face The Nation Sunday, when asked about vaccinating children, though he didn’t elaborate on why. “This isn’t going to be like measles or smallpox, which just sort of goes away. Covid is going to continue to circulate at a low level.”

While estimates vary for how many Americans need to receive a vaccine or have been previously infected for the country to reach herd immunity, the country’s top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said in December it could be as high as 90% of the population. 

Other studies have found herd immunity in the U.S. could be reached as early as May if vaccinations continue to pick up.

Gottlieb said he’s still “optimistic” about the immediate future, saying that rising vaccination rates and the fact that a third of the American public has already been infected with the coronavirus likely provides enough protection to continue to decrease the number of new infections, even if the population doesn’t reach full immunity against the virus.

On Thursday, the seven-day rolling average for new coronavirus infections had fallen by a staggering 43% in just two weeks.

“This has taken a tragic toll on the United States, but I think we should be optimistic in my view,” Gottlieb said.