Would you volunteer to be infected?

[epythymy]

I have been giving this some thought. If the only way to beat the virus is to achieve herd immunity sooner or later, could the younger, healthier population of the country voluntarily become infected in order to protect older and more vulnerable people? I believe this was a method the Chinese used for smallpox before there was a vaccine.

If you're young, fit and well, would you volunteer yourself?

This is hypothetical, I realise it's not something that would happen.

I’m quite amazed by most of the responses here, in the same place that has a huge thread on long-tail Covid and its also possible long term damage to lungs, brain or other organs.

Yes, most people will be fine, but between 1-20% in each age group end up in hospital, and up to 1% die.
That’s far too high odds for me. You’re looking at hundreds and hundreds of thousands of early deaths, and many more people with life-changing medical problems. There is no way I’d risk that. The fact that so many countries have shut down just shows how potentially serious it is. We can’t normalise euthanasia, which is what this approach is doing.

No but id never agree to any medical research or deliberate infecting

@duffeldaisy

I’m quite amazed by most of the responses here, in the same place that has a huge thread on long-tail Covid and its also possible long term damage to lungs, brain or other organs.

Yes, most people will be fine, but between 1-20% in each age group end up in hospital, and up to 1% die.
That’s far too high odds for me. You’re looking at hundreds and hundreds of thousands of early deaths, and many more people with life-changing medical problems. There is no way I’d risk that. The fact that so many countries have shut down just shows how potentially serious it is. We can’t normalise euthanasia, which is what this approach is doing.

But the cure is starting to look a lot worse than the disease, Duffle. Thousands have died because of lockdown, either from delayed admission, delayed seeking help or being unable to, suicide and depression. And that's just in this country and just the tip of the iceberg. Unemployment and a massively shrinking economy can only ever lead to increased mortality. There are suggestions that thousands more people in the poorest countries are starving to death as a direct result of the lockdown measures. Far more than the "up to" 1% of those dying of Covid (which at this point I think we all know is an exaggeration).

I have to admit I find it somewhat strange that on a forum where people scream at you for being a granny killer for not actively enjoying being masked up outside your home that more people are not willing to volunteer themselves when they're in good health in order to save the so-called "grannies".

Perhaps it's easy to be "altruistic" when it's not of any inconvenience to you and perhaps people should stop judging/accusing others when they themselves are no better?

Disclaimer: I don't wear a mask. I don't even own one. I simply never go anywhere where one is required. I shop online now. When everything initially opened in July I was thrilled. I went out shopping, I went out to eat etc. Everything that was open I visited because I wanted to help the high street and the economy. But I'm not happy in a mask and I'm not going to go out and browse when it would no longer bring me joy. My husband and I are actively thinking about leaving the country in the future, mainly due to the handling of the pandemic.

We would both be willing to get the virus in order to achieve herd immunity though.

epythymy

I'm with you.

From my eyes, this pandemic response has been a bunch of middle class people congratulating themselves for their 'stay at home' virtue and enjoying working from home, whilst the 'plebs' go out and make sure that the food and other essential supplies are kept available for them.
Simply by applauding the key workers they considered themselves in the clear for their awful, selfish hiding away whilst others lost their jobs, business, and the support that they desperately relied on.

people are not willing to volunteer themselves when they're in good health in order to save the so-called "grannies"

I have children to provide for. I no.longer take the risks I took when I was younger, because if I can't work, my children will be in the shit.

If I can do something to help another person, like wear masks or deliver food/medicine or do a favour I will.

But asking parents to risk serious ill health is way beyond normal pro-social behaviour.

There are a lot of people unable to see the seriousness of this virus. I will do whatever asked to prevent it spreading - but because I see it as very serious I would be reckless to happily get infected myself.

@latticechaos

people are not willing to volunteer themselves when they're in good health in order to save the so-called "grannies"

I have children to provide for. I no.longer take the risks I took when I was younger, because if I can't work, my children will be in the shit.

If I can do something to help another person, like wear masks or deliver food/medicine or do a favour I will.

But asking parents to risk serious ill health is way beyond normal pro-social behaviour.

There are a lot of people unable to see the seriousness of this virus. I will do whatever asked to prevent it spreading - but because I see it as very serious I would be reckless to happily get infected myself.

But someone has to take the risk. The virus isn't going anywhere and without a vaccine the only workable solution is good old fashioned infection in order the achieve herd immunity.

It has to be someone.

Wearing masks is at best prolonging the inevitable and potentially risking more deaths as more older people are likely to become exposed over a much longer period of time. At worst it's actually spreading the virus anyway as many masks are both useless and worn incorrectly.

I have children too but my risk assessment of the situation is that if I become unwell for a couple of weeks with this virus, statistically speaking I'll be absolutely fine. Yes some people get post viral fatigue. People always have. When I had swine flu I was in bed for fully three weeks and didn't feel myself again for some time after that. If my 80 year old neighbour gets it, she is much more likely to never recover. But then at 80, she's lived a good life... so who do we risk? Because it has got to be someone. At the moment the risk is falling disproportionately to the working classes who haven't been given a choice, just told this is "their job" and to get on with it (shop workers, carers, bus drivers)

@epythymy

Then you volunteer! But volunteering for medical trials is pretty rare, for understandable and rational reasons. I'm not volunteering for a virus that could leave me unable to work.

Achieving herd immunity without a vaccine is total bullshit. It can't be done without masses of harm. Given we don't even know how long immunity lasts, so herd immunity may never be possible, what would be the benefit to me/my family of doing that instead of what I am doing now? Answer: none.

Herd immunity without vaccination is basically back to the dark ages. Even the Tudors we're clever enough to try to avoid sweating sickness etc.!

Yes some people get post viral fatigue. People always have. When I had swine flu I was in bed for fully three weeks and didn't feel myself again for some time after that.

Also this suggests a lack of understanding of covid tbh. I had swine flu (confirmed by test) - I do not want covid as it is a much more concerning virus.

Yes. To be honest if someone gave me a straight choice between getting Covid and living like this for another bloody year I'd 101% take my chances with Covid. The last lockdown put me on anti-depressants so I don't fancy another one.

I volunteered for the Oxford vaccine too when they were trialling it here too but heard nothing back & then with a few days they announced that trials were moving elsewhere. I was a bit sad!

I would as part of a vaccine trial, to test if it’s effective.. I personally probably wouldn’t if I hadn’t had a vaccine. Only because I have two young kids & cannot afford to be ill! But I have hope & confidence in the vaccines so I’d probably be happy to help there!

Hell no. Covid-19 can be nasty. And there's no way of predicting how bad I'd get it.

I've got people who rely on me, who could end up seriously fucked over if I become unable to care for them.

Yes I would, and I'm type 1 diabetic.

@SomewhereEast
Exactly my reasonings. The fear that people are dealing with is shocking to see

No, I would not. No one ever knows how they will react to the virus. I believe that I had it in early April, and although I never even felt ill, my sense of smell is trashed. Even now I can't smell most things and the things I can smell almost all smell the same, just a horrible burnt kind of smell. It's not nothing to have a lost/fucked up sense of smell.

Good god no, if I was 25 I probably would. I’m a single parent to a disabled child, caring for them whilst unwell is shit also if I passed it to him I don’t like to think about the outcome.