MEMPHIS, Tenn — It’s a term you’ve probably often heard thrown around – herd immunity- but what does it mean for the population of Memphis?
Also how can you take part in getting us there?
Cities across the nation are racing to get people vaccinated. The goal is to develop what’s called ‘herd immunity.’
“I feel confident that, by summer, we're going to be well on our way to heading toward herd immunity,” said President Joe Biden on Tuesday.
Biden announced a new goal. But what will it take to get there?
“Herd immunity is when a large percentage of the population has either had the infection or has been immunized,” said Dr. Manoj Jain, an infectious disease specialist who is on the COVID-19 Task Force.
Cities and countries would rather develop herd immunity from immunizations explains Dr. Jain.
“We really need to have about 60-70% of the population either have had the infection or be vaccinated. We need to achieve this number with the present strain of the virus.”
Jain said with the current mutant strains, it will take a higher percentage of people to achieve herd immunity.
Moderna said experiments show its vaccine protects against the U.K. variant, but that it had a weaker response against the South African variant. The company is studying a possible booster shot.
Jain said the COVID-19 vaccine works to help you not get infected with the coronavirus and also develops herd immunity, which means the virus can’t spread from person to person as it would otherwise.
“There are fewer people to infect and subsequently it dies down over time,” said Jain. “That’s when herd immunity is achieved and the virus is not in our communities anymore.”
So when will Memphis develop herd immunity? It depends on the decisions of its residents.
“We can achieve herd immunity but it will take us to work together as a community. If many people decide they don’t want to be vaccinated then the infection will sort of smolder on for months if not years."