MEMPHIS, Tennessee — COVID-19 restrictions are lifting and more people are dining out, but when can we expect the pandemic to be over in the Mid-South? The Shelby County Health Department’s David Sweat said herd immunity won’t be achieved at a single point in time.
In a Shelby County COVID-19 Task Force briefing, Sweat said herd immunity is a concept and when we ask about it we really want to know when the pandemic will finally end.
“We will get to the end of the pandemic when the virus doesn’t have anywhere else to go,” said Sweat, who is chief of epidemiology. “Where the chain of transmission can’t be sustained.”
But once we finally get to herd immunity in the Mid-South infectious disease expert Dr. Steve Threlkeld said that doesn’t mean we’ll stay there.
“You can lose herd immunity once you get it you can have everybody vaccinated and then immunity wanes,” said Threlkeld. “We need boosters to keep herd immunity.”
Sweat said herd immunity will be attained for age groups at different times.
“If you’re over 65 years in age in Shelby County the likelihood is that most of the people who are your peers are fully vaccinated at this point and herd immunity has probably been achieved for those who are over 65,” said Sweat.
Sweat said those in younger age groups are a long way off from achieving herd immunity. Officials confirm some parts of the county are getting vaccinated more than others.
”On the eastern side of the county more people are vaccinated than on the western side of the county,” Sweat said. “So on the eastern side of the county, we’re closer to herd immunity and on the western side we’re further away from it.”
Threlkeld said putting more emphasis on a one-on-one approach, like having more vaccines available at doctor offices, will help with the slowdown of people getting their COVID shots.