QUESTION: What is herd immunity?
ANSWER: Herd immunity develops when enough people are immune to a contagious disease either through infection or vaccination. This lowers the risk of either having or catching the disease in everyday situations. It varies with different diseases, but most experts believe that at least 70% of a population needs to be immune to achieve herd protection. For a brand new and highly contagious disease like COVID, it can take several years to reach adequate herd immunity.
