What Is Herd Immunity?

When new diseases strike, our bodies have no protectionor immunityagainst them.

How Does Herd Immunity Work?

Herd immunity can also happen through vaccination.

Newborns and people with compromised immune systems are one example.

They cant receive some vaccines, or they cant develop immunity to diseases.

Even healthy individuals may encounter vaccine failurean estimated 2-10% of healthy people don’t respond to vaccination.

There are also no established treatments or cures, which is why the virus has caused a global pandemic.

Each specific vaccine trains the bodys immune system to detect and fight the targeted-disease.

Vaccinating healthy people and reducing their ability to spread diseases protects people who cant be vaccinated.

The eradication of smallpox is an example of herd immunity through vaccination.

Vaccination forsmallpoxbegan in 1796 and became more widespread throughout the 1800s.

Herd immunity only works as well as the mentality of the herd.

That is, it only works when large numbers of people are on board with the plan.

While natural immunity is possible, vaccination-driven immunity reduces illness most effectively.

One example of herd immunity failing due to a difference in beliefs is the case ofmeaslesin the mid-2010s.

Cases spiked during that period, although measles had been declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000.

Another factor to consider is how well vaccines work, and how the immune system responds to those vaccines.

While many would recoverand create that herd immunitymany would die while sick.

This has ignited an ethical debate about how many lives should be sacrificed for the benefit of others.

Many companiesranging from Johnson & Johnson to biotech firmsare racing to create a COVID-19 vaccine.

But a publicly available vaccine is still likely over a year away.

Educate yourself on different types of vaccines, vaccine safety,myths and misconceptions, andsuggested guidelines.

Obtain your vaccination records from your primary care provider and check that you are up-to-date.

For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.

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