Herd Immunity and Culling the Herd

I want to point out that herd immunity is not a thing among humans because there is no way to control human behavior. Herd immunity involves culling the herd and its eugenics, so it is inherently racist and fascist, if you think about it even for a hot minute.

Besides, we are sneakier and probably more selfish than cattle, so it is harder to herd us voluntarily. And who gets to “volunteer” for this grand experiment? Some younger people between 18 and 50 think this is their time and they resent being shut up. We ALL do, but I get it, they have more of a biological drive to socialize in group settings. Plus, they are most of the workforce. And with many people working from home, sometimes with children, it can feel especially oppressive.

This biological imperative seems to be underlying this idea that we lock up everyone over 50 and every younger adult, those in their reproductive years can run wild and free in restaurants, bars, you name it.. They keep the economy going, while we more vulnerable people stay sequestered at home and order in. That is an ageist double standard. We could all wait it out and get over this faster, or boomers can wait while they live in Babylon and we clean up their mess again, just as they did when their kids were younger. Those who survive, will have higher immunity which will benefit the population and our survival as a species, IF immunity is a thing for this virus. At this point in time, it is unclear if immunity works for everyone, or if reactivation is happening to some who initially recover for COVID-19.

But who is going to play and who is going to work to serve the players? Let me guess. This will benefit the rich, for sure, and predominantly white hipsters. Those living on the edge, partying too hard, or those with no healthcare will be culled as well. Can we add universal healthcare as a stipulation before we try this experiment? And how do we keep from these 30-40 somethings spreading around their virus everywhere they go? Will they mop up after themselves? What do you think? Again, less privileged populations, people of color, and those with less education, will be culled disproportionately with none of the perks. There will be flare ups and that is when we will need universal healthcare the most. If we do not, we are being racist, sexist, and classist. It will also mean those of us sequestered will have to wait longer for the self-centered fun-loving party goers to play through.

A hundred years ago (1918-1919) we had a similar situation during the Spanish Flu pandemic, and there were three or four waves in case increases during that time until it finally subsiding leaving millions of dead worldwide. In the fall at the end of World War 1, Americans were quarantining and we were bending the curve downward and then suddenly the war was over and our troops returned and there was dancing in the street, people hugging and kissing in New York Times Square, and suddenly the virus took a dramatic upswing and that's when perhaps 1/3 of the deaths in the U.S. occurred.

So those spending time on the beaches in Southern California right now should stay put and quarantine there, right on the beach, or perhaps in the hotels along the beach.

Please do not go home to Ohio, Nevada, or even inland to other points in California. We don't want you back right until you quarantine for several weeks, because you are going to get sick, maybe die, or at least be a carrier of the virus. Younger adults need who are playing Russian Roulette with their lives need not impose on ours. The million dollar TV ad spots and public service announcements need to pivot and educate these younger adults that even though statistically they may not have as high a probability of dying or contracting a serious case of COVID-19, they are a the largest group of confirmed cases and they may also face serious healthcare risks, and besides, it is unfair and inequitable for them to drive its spread to the rest of us, and to overrun our entire healthcare system.

If you want to volunteer to be in the part that is potentially culled, then you need to do so without endangering us, that is your rationale, after all. If 20-40 somethings insist on continuing to play outside an ignore social distancing, they need to surrender their rights and privileges for using hospitals, and urgent care clinics. And we all need to pray for their children until they come to their senses.

The rest of us do need to acknowledge that some of this is driven by the fact they are the majority of people in the workforce and that some of them don't have a real sanctuary space to go to when they get off work. We also need to do what we can to ensure that those who live with their families can stay virus-free at work and come home safe to their families.

But going out drinking and partying and hanging out? Time to put on your big boy pants and sacrifice some of this brief period play on behalf of the Greater Good