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IPFS News Link • Pandemic

Herd Immunity 'Ahead of Schedule'

• https://www.lewrockwell.com by Joseph Mercola

 When the number susceptible is low enough to prevent epidemic growth, herd immunity is said to have been reached.

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, some experts estimated that 70% of the population or more may need to gain immunity before COVID-19 would be under control. Now, experts are suggesting the percentage may be far lower, and some areas may already have reached what's known as the herd immunity threshold (HIT).

Scientists: COVID Herd Immunity Threshold Lower Than Thought

According to The New York Times, more than a dozen scientists said in interviews that the HIT for COVID-19 is likely 50% or lower. "If that's true, then it may be possible to turn back the coronavirus more quickly than once thought," the Times reported,1 and perhaps without the need for a vaccine.

Herd immunity is calculated using reproductive number, or R-naught (R0), which is the estimated number of new infections that may occur from one infected person.2 R0 of below 1 (with R1 meaning that one person who's infected is expected to infect one other person) indicates that cases are declining while R0 above 1 suggests cases are on the rise.


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