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- DictionaryHerd im·mu·ni·ty
noun
- 1. resistance to the spread of an infectious disease within a population that is based on pre-existing immunity of a high proportion of individuals as a result of previous infection or vaccination: "the level of vaccination needed to achieve herd immunity varies by disease but ranges from 83 to 94 percent"
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May 5, 2021 · The idea underlying herd immunity is that the proximity of immune individuals shields others who are still susceptible from infection, Fine explains. And, with enough immune people in the population, the herd becomes a defensive wall that denies the virus pathways to keep spreading.
- Amy McDermott
- 10.1073/pnas.2107692118
- 2021
- 2021/05/05
- What Is Herd Immunity?
- Why Is Herd Immunity Important?
- Vaccine Herd Immunity Explained: How Are Vaccinations Related to Herd Immunity?
- Herd Immunity Examples and Thresholds
- Vaccines and Herd Immunity: A Way Forward
Herd immunity describes a situation in which a large part of a population is immune to a particular disease due to vaccination or previously contracting the illness and developing anti-bodies. This indirectly also helps ensure the protection of the remaining population, and offers a higher chance of combating and reducing transmission. In many case...
While it may be unrealistic to assume every individual in a population is able to get vaccinated, those outstanding individuals will then rely on herd immunity to avoid contracting a virus. Reasons for not receiving a vaccination include: 1. People with weak immune systems 2. People that are going through chemotherapy treatments 3. Newborn babies a...
Herd immunity is reliant on immunity from a disease. Immunity can be achieved in one of two ways: prior infection or vaccination. In many cases, relying on prior infection is an unrealistic—and even dangerous—way to reach herd immunity. That’s why vaccines are essential in the fight to establish herd immunity. Illnesses like polio and chickenpox ar...
A large percentage of the population must be immune to the virus in some way in order to reach herd immunity. This threshold will vary depending on the disease(link is external and opens in a new window)—measles herd immunity requires 95% of the population to be immune, while polio requires 80%. In the case of COVID-19, health professionals estimat...
Vaccinations play a crucial role in achieving herd immunity in any population. For example, in 2000, measles was declared defeated(link is external and opens in a new window) in the U.S. However in 2019, a surge of new cases was recorded. This occurred as a result of the stalled vaccination rates(link is external and opens in a new window), showing...
Sep 13, 2021 · What do epidemiologists mean when they talk about “herd immunity”? When most of a population is immune to an infectious disease, this provides indirect protection—also called population immunity, herd immunity, or herd protection—to those who are not immune to the disease.
Nov 3, 2021 · The term herd immunity means that enough of a population has gained immunity to stifle a pathogen’s spread. You can think of herd immunity as being similar to fire...
Jul 13, 2020 · Herd immunity describes the point at which a population is sufficiently immune to a disease to prevent its circulation.
- Joshua A. Krisch
Jun 30, 2020 · Herd immunity occurs when a large portion of a community (the herd) becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. As a result, the whole community becomes protected — not just those who are immune. Often, a percentage of the population must be capable of getting a disease in order for it to spread.
Feb 18, 2021 · When enough people are immune — through vaccination or natural immunity — a population achieves herd immunity. The disease stops spreading efficiently and starts to fade away. How quickly a...
