According to the latest data, the CDC estimates that around 20 million Americans were infected with COVID-19 in 2020, but an astonishing study suggests the number could be much higher than previous estimates.
The recent article published in Nature offers a more comprehensive estimate that places the true number of infections by the end of 2020 at more than 100 million people. That’s equal to almost one third of the U.S. population. This revised number shows just how rapidly the novel coronavirus spread through the country last year.
If this estimate is accurate, it is safe to assume that the more transmissible delta variant which became dominant this year, may have already infected around 100 million more Americans in 2021.
This would mean that almost 75% of the population already have a natural immunity to the virus, not counting those who were vaccinated. The numbers would also mean that the overall infection fatality rate is far lower than previously believed.
A study published on medRxiv.org that covered more than 800,000 people split into three groups, shows that fully vaccinated individuals may be at greater risk of COVID than those unvaccinated.
According to the massive study, people who have taken both doses of the Pfizer jab are 13 times more likely to have a breakthrough infection and are even at a vastly greater risk for Covid-19 hospitalizations.
Vaccinated individuals were found to have a 27 times higher risk of symptomatic COVID infection compared to those with natural immunity from prior COVID disease.
Harvard Medical School professor Martin Kulldorff said research showing that natural immunity offers exponentially more protection than vaccines means vaccine passports are both unscientific and discriminatory since they disproportionately affect working-class individuals.
“Prior COVID disease (many working-class) provides better immunity than vaccines (many professionals), so vaccine mandates are not only scientific nonsense, they are also discriminatory and unethical,” Kulldorff, a biostatistician, and epidemiologist, observed on Twitter.
During a recent CNN interview, Dr Fauci was asked about the millions of people who have contracted the coronavirus naturally and now have natural immunity.
CNN reporter Sanjay Gupta asked if Fauci had an answer for those who are naturally immune, referring to a recent study published about the subject.
“There was a study that came out of Israel about natural immunity, and basically the headline was natural immunity provides a lot of protection, even better than the vaccine,” Gupta said. “As we talk about vaccine mandates, I get calls all the time from people who say I’ve already had COVID, I’m protected, should they also get the vaccine, how do you make the case to them?” Gupta asked.
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As it stands currently, the vaccine passports and mandates do not exempt those who have a natural immunity to the virus, and the CDC’s herd immunity percentage continues to change while only accounting for those vaccinated.
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra was left speechless in the U.S. Senate on Thursday, after U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, explained the concept of natural immunity to Becerra.
Paul, a physician who tested positive for the coronavirus in March 2020, has been a vocal proponent of the benefits of natural immunity that come from surviving an infection.
“Mr. Becerra, are you familiar with an Israeli study that had 2.5 million patients and found that the vaccinated group was seven times more likely to get infected with Covid than the people who had gotten Covid naturally?” Paul asked.
“Senator, I’ll have to get back to you on that one, I’m not familiar with that study,” Becerra replied.
“Well, you think you’d might want to be if you are going to travel the country insulting the millions of Americans, including the NBA star Jonathan Isaac who have had Covid, recovered, look at a study with 2.5 million people and say, ‘you know what? It looks like my immunity is as good as the vaccine or not, in a free country maybe I ought to be able to make that decision’ and instead, you have chosen to travel the country and calling people like Jonathan Isaac and others, myself included, ‘flat earthers.’”
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Israel has among the world’s highest levels of vaccination for COVID-19, with 80% of those 12 and older fully vaccinated, the vast majority with the Pfizer vaccine. Yet the country is now recording one of the world’s highest infection rates, and Americans aren’t allowed to travel there.
More than half of the cases in Israel, and over 60% of the hospitalizations for severe COVID cases are in fully vaccinated people.
