'We want them infected': Trump appointee demanded 'herd immunity' strategy, emails reveal

[tenderfoot]

This is a repost for those tired of giving Rawstory clicks...

A top Trump appointee repeatedly urged top health officials to adopt a "herd immunity" approach to Covid-19 and allow millions of Americans to be infected by the virus, according to internal emails obtained by a House watchdog and shared with POLITICO.

“There is no other way, we need to establish herd, and it only comes about allowing the non-high risk groups expose themselves to the virus. PERIOD," then-science adviser Paul Alexander wrote on July 4 to his boss, Health and Human Services assistant secretary for public affairs Michael Caputo, and six other senior officials.

"Infants, kids, teens, young people, young adults, middle aged with no conditions etc. have zero to little risk….so we use them to develop herd…we want them infected…" Alexander added.

"t may be that it will be best if we open up and flood the zone and let the kids and young folk get infected" in order to get "natural immunity…natural exposure," Alexander wrote on July 24 to Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn, Caputo and eight other senior officials. Caputo subsequently asked Alexander to research the idea, according to emails obtained by the House Oversight Committee's select subcommittee on coronavirus.

Alexander also argued that colleges should stay open to allow Covid-19 infections to spread, lamenting in a July 27 email to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield that “we essentially took off the battlefield the most potent weapon we had...younger healthy people, children, teens, young people who we needed to fastly [sic] infect themselves, spread it around, develop immunity, and help stop the spread.”

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/16/trump-appointee-demanded-herd-immunity-strategy-446408

[intrepidity]

1. Well this smells like evidence in wrongful death suits nt

[ProfessorGAC]

2. Charming

This, coming from a "science advisor". I question both his understanding of science & the existence of his heart.

[Irish_Dem]

3. Not only all the deaths, but we don't know the long term effects of Covid.

Totally irresponsible and malpractice.

[Merlot]

7. We also don't know for how long after you get it you stay immune

There have been reports of people getting it twice.

Basically, opening everything up and letting people die was the easiest way for the trumpft administration to manage it. No pesky worrying about PPE or hospital admissions or long term effects. Business as usual.

[Irish_Dem]

8. Easiest and cheapest way to handle the crises. As well they are sadists and like

to see suffering, death and torture. Like Bush/Cheney.

It follows a pattern.

They use a crisis to make as much money as possible, and inflict as much pain as possible at the same time. Cheney dropped 1200 tons of depleted uranium on Iraq, much of it on Baghdad, a city comprised of 50% women and children. All the while becoming richer with his defense contracts, etc.

Trump could care less about 300,000 Covid deaths, and in fact encouraged it by his statements. At the same time, Jared is monetizing Covid as much as he can.
No incentive at all to do the right thing.

[oswaldactedalone]

4. We have our Dr. Mengele

Who would have ever thought our country could come to this? Sick and disgusting. This ought to be hung around Republican's necks like an anchor.

[Hav]

5. As we all know, children and young adults

never get into contact with older people or those in the groups who are at risk. They'll be relatively safe while they kill their family members and teachers. Besides, a lasting immunity after an infection is very much in doubt.
It's amazing what kind of people can somehow land in these types of positions.

[Blue Owl]

6. Go fuck yourself Donny you fat piece of shit