CNN "US COVID-19 Herd Immunity Possible as Early as June"

[Asia Economy Reporter Changhwan Lee] There is a forecast that the United States could achieve COVID-19 herd immunity as early as June.

CNN reported on the 26th (local time) that the U.S. could reach COVID-19 herd immunity as early as June this year.

Once herd immunity is established, the transmission rate of COVID-19 significantly decreases, lowering the probability of infection even for those without immunity.

CNN analyzed that, based on the estimated number of COVID-19 infections in the U.S. released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the threshold for such herd immunity could be reached around June.

The CDC estimated that, including unreported cases beyond the officially counted infections, about 83 million people in the U.S. had contracted COVID-19 by the end of last year.

Considering that the total U.S. population is approximately 328.2 million, CNN interpreted this as having already reached about one-third of the herd immunity requirement.

When using official statistics rather than estimated infection numbers as the basis, CNN predicted that the herd immunity achievement point would be in October. Johns Hopkins University reported that, as of the 26th, the cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. was approximately 28.423 million.