This Is What Happens When Herd Immunity Is Reached – Spotlight on Vaccines
The vaccine rollout around the world is an important part of helping to finally end the global coronavirus pandemic that has affected us for nearly a full year now. First only available to healthcare workers, vaccines to protect against COVID-19 infections are now becoming available to members of the general public.
Starting with members of vulnerable populations, like people who are older and people who have preexisting conditions, experts note that vaccinating as many people as possible is a key component of helping achieve herd immunity. How can vaccines do this, and can we achieve it in this case?
What Is Herd Immunity?
The spread of a virus is sharply limited when a large portion of a population has immunity, whether due to a previous infection resulting in the development of natural antibodies or through vaccination. When this happens, the virus cannot spread as quickly or easily through a population.
That is why it is so important for as many people as possible to get the vaccine. Vaccines offer a safer alternative than actually contracting the virus since the health risks associated with vaccination are relatively low. Contracting COVID-19, on the other hand, comes with significant and dangerous risks, up to and including death.
How Many People Will It Take to Reach Herd Immunity?
With herd immunity as the end goal, many people wonder exactly what percentage of the population needs to receive the vaccine before it will take effect and help to end the pandemic. That percentage can differ depending on the individual virus, but for coronaviruses, most experts believe that somewhere between 70 and 90 percent of the population would need a vaccine.
The head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, has suggested that at least 85 percent of the population needs to be vaccinated for herd immunity to be achieved. If that percentage can be achieved by the end of summer, Dr. Fauci is optimistic that we could return to a more normal existence by next fall.
Why Vaccinating Children May Be Crucial
Currently, no vaccines are approved for individuals under 16, which could pose a problem for achieving herd immunity. Children under 16 make up approximately 20 percent of the population of the United States, so this may be quite important. Mathematically, there is no way for 85 percent of the population to be vaccinated without at least some children under 16 receiving the vaccine.
Though children do not seem to have as many instances of death and extremely severe infections, it is still possible for them to spread the virus to others in the community. Once vaccines can safely be administered to children, we will likely see herd immunity take effect more quickly.