Emails show former Trump health appointee advocated herd immunity strategy

A former senior Health and Human Services adviser advocated this summer to let young and middle-aged Americans become infected with COVID-19 in order to develop "herd immunity," according to emails released Wednesday by the House committee overseeing the federal government's coronavirus response.

Why it matters: Without a vaccine, achieving herd immunity — in which widespread outbreaks are prevented because enough people in a community are immune to a disease — would result in widespread fatalities and likely overwhelm health systems.

Politico first reported on the documents released by House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), who chairs the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis.