EXPLAINER: How will we know we’ve reached herd immunity?
3 years, 10 months ago

EXPLAINER: How will we know we’ve reached herd immunity?

Associated Press  

Health officials around the world are racing to vaccinate enough people to stop the spread of COVID-19, but what qualifies as “enough” is still an open question. The goal is to get to “herd immunity,” which is when enough people have immunity, either from vaccination or a past infection, to stop uncontrolled spread. Herd immunity doesn’t make any one person immune, and outbreaks can still flare up. Nobody knows for sure what the herd immunity threshold is for the coronavirus, though many experts say it’s 70% or higher. Proof that we’re nearing herd immunity would be a “disruption in the chain of transmission,” said Ashley St. John, who studies immune systems at Duke-NUS Medical School at Singapore.

Health Vaccination Vaccines Virus Know Spread Immunity Herd Herd Immunity Enough People  reached  know  explainer  herd  virus  vaccines  variants  shots  weve  spread  vaccination  immunity  experts  health

History of this topic

Coronavirus Today: How immune are we?
1 year, 9 months ago

Coronavirus Today: How immune are we?

LA Times  

I’m Karen Kaplan, and it’s Tuesday, March 21. This “cellular immunity,” as scientists call it, deserves the credit for preventing the worst COVID-19 outcomes, even if it doesn’t stop infections from happening in the first place. One tool employed by California’s elected officials to keep the coronavirus in check is a new state law that punishes doctors who spread misinformation …

CDC shifts pandemic goals away from reaching herd immunity
3 years, 1 month ago

CDC shifts pandemic goals away from reaching herd immunity

LA Times  

A nurse delivers a COVID-19 vaccine at a mobile clinic at Eagle Rock High School. The prospects for meeting a clear herd-immunity target are “very complicated,” said Dr. Jefferson Jones, a medical officer on the CDC’s COVID-19 Epidemiology Task Force. “It’s a science-communications problem,” said Dr. John Brooks, chief medical officer for the CDC’s COVID-19 response. “It’s impossible to predict …

Next 125 days critical, haven't reached herd immunity yet: Govt warns about 3rd Covid-19 wave
3 years, 5 months ago

Next 125 days critical, haven't reached herd immunity yet: Govt warns about 3rd Covid-19 wave

India Today  

India is yet to achieve herd immunity against Covid-19 and possibilities of new outbreaks of the viral infection cannot be ruled out, the central government said on Friday. Addressing a health ministry briefing, Niti Aayog Member Dr VK Paul said we need to stop the infection from transmitting now and this is possible by adopting Covid-appropriate behaviour. This is possible …

Nearly 5 out of 6 coronavirus cases were undetected in pandemic’s early months
3 years, 6 months ago

Nearly 5 out of 6 coronavirus cases were undetected in pandemic’s early months

LA Times  

Scientists at the National Institutes of Health who studied blood samples from across the United States have discovered that for every coronavirus infection recorded during the spring and summer of 2020, nearly five more went undetected — amounting to nearly 17 million additional cases by July 2020. A team of immunologists, engineers, clinicians and statisticians across the NIH worked together …

Editorial: COVID ‘herd immunity’ may be out of reach. Deal with it
3 years, 8 months ago

Editorial: COVID ‘herd immunity’ may be out of reach. Deal with it

LA Times  

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have collectively focused on that point in the future when so many people have been inoculated or have obtained natural immunity, normal life could resume and this painful period would dissolve into the mists of history. But it seems that this magical moment in which the U.S. hits “herd immunity” and COVID-19 …

If we don't vaccinate young people, we will see a large number of cases everyday: Kiran Mazumdar Shaw
3 years, 9 months ago

If we don't vaccinate young people, we will see a large number of cases everyday: Kiran Mazumdar Shaw

India Today  

As fears of a new wave of Covid-19 infections mount, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, executive chairperson of Biocon, tells Shwweta Punj, deputy editor, India Today, that the only way to prevent the pandemic from regaining steam is to vaccinate young people and to let corporates vaccinate their employees and their dependants on priority. I hope the government allows young people to …

When will the US reach herd immunity?
3 years, 10 months ago

When will the US reach herd immunity?

CNN  

CNN — A year into the Covid-19 pandemic, it appears that trends have finally shifted in a positive direction. To understand how these factors may play into the future timeline of the pandemic, CNN spoke with five experts: Dr. Arturo Casadevall, chair of molecular microbiology and immunology at Johns Hopkins University; Justin Lessler, associate professor of epidemiology at Johns Hopkins …

Explainer: How will we know we've reached herd immunity?
3 years, 10 months ago

Explainer: How will we know we've reached herd immunity?

India Today  

Health officials around the world are racing to vaccinate enough people to stop the spread of Covid-19, but what qualifies as “enough” is still an open question. The goal is to get to “herd immunity,” which is when enough people have immunity, either from vaccination or a past infection, to stop uncontrolled spread. Herd immunity doesn’t make any one person …

The goal is herd immunity against COVID-19, when will we know if we have reached it?
3 years, 10 months ago

The goal is herd immunity against COVID-19, when will we know if we have reached it?

Firstpost  

Proof that we’re nearing herd immunity would be a “disruption in the chain of transmission.” Health officials around the world are racing to vaccinate enough people to stop the spread of COVID-19, but what qualifies as “enough” is still an open question. The goal is to get to “herd immunity,” which is when enough people have immunity, either from vaccination …

COVID-19 explainer: How will we know we've reached herd immunity? And how emergence of variants impacts it
3 years, 10 months ago

COVID-19 explainer: How will we know we've reached herd immunity? And how emergence of variants impacts it

Firstpost  

It’s not known how long immunity lasts, either after vaccination or from an infection, though experts believe it should be at least several months Health officials around the world are racing to vaccinate enough people to stop the spread of COVID-19, but what qualifies as “enough” is still an open question. The goal is to get to “herd immunity,” which …

A Rocky Road On The Way To Herd Immunity For COVID-19
3 years, 11 months ago

A Rocky Road On The Way To Herd Immunity For COVID-19

NPR  

A Rocky Road On The Way To Herd Immunity For COVID-19 Enlarge this image toggle caption Chet Strange/AFP via Getty Images Chet Strange/AFP via Getty Images Scientists estimate that somewhere between 70% and 85% of people need to be immune from the coronavirus before the disease will wane through a process known as herd immunity. "The idea of herd immunity …

WHO: Won’t achieve ‘herd immunity in 2021’ despite vaccines
3 years, 11 months ago

WHO: Won’t achieve ‘herd immunity in 2021’ despite vaccines

Al Jazeera  

WHO stresses need for measures like physical distancing, hand washing and mask wearing to rein in the pandemic. Herd immunity will not be achieved this year despite COVID-19 vaccines being rolled out in a number of countries, the World Health Organization has warned. “We are not going to achieve any levels of population immunity or herd immunity in 2021,” WHO’s …

Fauci Predicts U.S. Could See Signs Of Herd Immunity By Late March Or Early April
4 years ago

Fauci Predicts U.S. Could See Signs Of Herd Immunity By Late March Or Early April

NPR  

Fauci Predicts U.S. Could See Signs Of Herd Immunity By Late March Or Early April Enlarge this image toggle caption Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's senior official for infectious diseases, predicts the United States could begin to achieve early stages of herd immunity against the deadly coronavirus by late spring …

Coronavirus: What is herd immunity and could it work in the UK?
4 years, 2 months ago

Coronavirus: What is herd immunity and could it work in the UK?

The Independent  

Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. …

Opinion: Herd immunity is a fantasy
4 years, 3 months ago

Opinion: Herd immunity is a fantasy

CNN  

Editor’s Note: William Haseltine, PhD, is chair and president of the global health think tank, ACCESS Health International. CNN — Despite what science or the failed coronavirus strategy in Sweden tell us, people continue to entertain herd immunity as a possible strategy for ending the Covid-19 pandemic. It seems Trump meant herd immunity, rather than “herd mentality,” but no matter …

As World Battles Pandemic, Here's How We Can Reach Herd Immunity
4 years, 3 months ago

As World Battles Pandemic, Here's How We Can Reach Herd Immunity

News 18  

The novel coronavirus pandemic has brought “herd immunity” to the public consciousness, kindling hope the phenomenon can help slow or even end the outbreak. “We can’t afford to have people infected to reach herd immunity when we know so little about the longer-term effects. Experts believe if no other measures are taken, herd immunity could kick in when 50% to …

World ‘nowhere close’ to needed coronavirus herd immunity: Live
4 years, 4 months ago

World ‘nowhere close’ to needed coronavirus herd immunity: Live

Al Jazeera  

Cases in the Americas reach almost 11.5 million; UAE sees ‘alarming’ infection increase; Merkel rules out easing rules. 17:10 GMT – Turkey’s coronavirus death toll exceeds 6,000 Turkey’s death toll from the coronavirus has risen by 20 to 6,016, health ministry data showed, with the total number of identified cases rising to 251,805. 10:30 GMT – South Africa eases coronavirus …

Coronavirus: Not even herd immunity can fully protect us
4 years, 4 months ago

Coronavirus: Not even herd immunity can fully protect us

Live Mint  

The question of herd immunity — specifically, whether some cities and regions are acquiring it sooner than expected and thus have higher than expected protection against Covid-19 — has been attracting more attention lately. The evidence for herd immunity can be seen in Sweden, for example, where the case and death rate have plummeted, even though the Swedes still don’t …

WHO chief scientist sees no herd immunity yet
4 years, 5 months ago

WHO chief scientist sees no herd immunity yet

Live Mint  

The chief scientist at the World Health Organization estimates that about 50% to 60% of the population will need to be immune to the coronavirus for there to be any protective “herd immunity” effect. Herd immunity is usually achieved through vaccination and occurs when most of a population is immune to a disease, blocking its continued spread. Other experts have …

We’re wasting time talking about herd immunity (opinion)
4 years, 5 months ago

We’re wasting time talking about herd immunity (opinion)

CNN  

Editor’s Note: William Haseltine, PhD, is chair and president of the global health think tank, ACCESS Health International. The first was the release of a new nationwide study from Spain, a former Covid hotspot, which suggested that too many lives would be lost while waiting to achieve the approximate 60% infection rate needed for herd immunity, whereby so many people …

Is herd immunity even a viable strategy for COVID-19?
4 years, 6 months ago

Is herd immunity even a viable strategy for COVID-19?

The Hindu  

This is a blog post from The year 2020 started with news about a disease caused by a “novel virus”. Some countries, such as the UK and Sweden, chose different mitigation strategies altogether — choosing to live life “normally”, allowing the virus to spread and hoping that “herd immunity” would prevail. The basics of disease transmission Before we get to …

The World Is Still Far From Herd Immunity for Coronavirus
4 years, 7 months ago

The World Is Still Far From Herd Immunity for Coronavirus

New York Times  

The coronavirus still has a long way to go. In New York City, which has had the largest coronavirus outbreak in the United States, around 20 percent of the city’s residents have been infected by the virus as of early May, according to a survey of people in grocery stores and community centers released by the governor’s office. The herd …

Aiming to achieve herd immunity naturally is ‘dangerous’, WHO warns
4 years, 7 months ago

Aiming to achieve herd immunity naturally is ‘dangerous’, WHO warns

The Hindu  

The World Health Organization has condemned the “dangerous” concept of herd immunity for managing the coronavirus pandemic. Dr. Michael Ryan, executive director of the WHO’s health emergencies programme said it was wrong to think that countries can “magically” make their populations immune to novel coronavirus. Health expert warns against herd immunity strategy It was mistakenly assumed that as this disease …

What Is Herd Immunity, And Can It Really Help Us Fight Coronavirus?
4 years, 8 months ago

What Is Herd Immunity, And Can It Really Help Us Fight Coronavirus?

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING There’s a lot of talk about how achieving herd immunity for COVID-19 is the key to reopening the economy during the current pandemic. We don’t know how many people need to be immune to achieve herd immunity. “At these numbers, you would need between 60-70% of the population to be immune in order to achieve herd immunity.” …

Swedish Ambassador Says Stockholm Expected To Reach 'Herd Immunity' In May
4 years, 8 months ago

Swedish Ambassador Says Stockholm Expected To Reach 'Herd Immunity' In May

NPR  

Swedish Ambassador Says Stockholm Expected To Reach 'Herd Immunity' In May Enlarge this image toggle caption Anders Wiklund/TT News Agency/AFP via Getty Images Anders Wiklund/TT News Agency/AFP via Getty Images Sweden's ambassador to the U.S. believes the country's controversial strategy of imposing only limited restrictions — and not locking down the country — is bearing success, with the capital, Stockholm, …

Herd immunity: Why some think it could end the coronavirus pandemic
4 years, 8 months ago

Herd immunity: Why some think it could end the coronavirus pandemic

CNN  

CNN — The concept of herd immunity is a simple one. As the coronavirus pandemic spread throughout the world, doctors, scientists, and government leaders alike have said that once herd immunity was achieved, the spread of the virus would be less of a threat. “The level of people who’ve been infected, I don’t expect it would rise to the level …

What is herd immunity and why does it matter in the fight against coronavirus?
4 years, 8 months ago

What is herd immunity and why does it matter in the fight against coronavirus?

LA Times  

Fewer tables in restaurants. Herd immunity describes the condition of when almost everyone is protected from a virus because enough of the population is immune, said Dr. David Eisenman, director of UCLA’s Center for Public Health and Disasters. “The idea of herd immunity is you don’t have to immunize everybody,” said Eisenman, who is also a professor-in-residence of community health …

Fauci says herd immunity from coronavirus is unlikely because not enough people have been infected
4 years, 9 months ago

Fauci says herd immunity from coronavirus is unlikely because not enough people have been infected

Daily Mail  

The top infectious disease expert in the US says herd immunity from the novel coronavirus is unlikely to occur. Dr Anthony Fauci, a top official at the NIH, says herd immunity from the novel coronavirus in the US is unlikely He said there have not been enough infections for the virus to not spread throughout communities Pictured: A patient with …

What is ‘herd immunity’, and will it slow coronavirus pandemic?
4 years, 9 months ago

What is ‘herd immunity’, and will it slow coronavirus pandemic?

Al Jazeera  

Debate has been generated about a phenomenon known as ‘herd immunity’ and whether it will affect the outbreak. More: Questions have been raised about a phenomenon known as “herd immunity” and whether it might play a role in how the pandemic progresses. Herd immunity refers to a situation where enough people in a population have immunity to an infection to …

What is herd immunity and could it slow the spread of coronavirus COVID-19 around the world?
4 years, 9 months ago

What is herd immunity and could it slow the spread of coronavirus COVID-19 around the world?

ABC  

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to worsen, some governments have started discussing how "herd immunity" could be used to stop the virus in its tracks. The UK's chief science adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, said on March 13 that one of "the key things" Britain needed to do was "build up some kind of herd immunity so more people are immune …

The problem with using herd immunity to fight coronavirus
4 years, 9 months ago

The problem with using herd immunity to fight coronavirus

Wired  

This policy would put the UK government in distinct contrast from China and South Korea who responded to their own outbreaks by several restricting travel and monitoring movements – managing to limit the extent of their current outbreaks. Italy too is trying similar policies – including banning most public gatherings – although it’s still too early to know whether that …

Discover Related