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Abstract
Herd immunity is an important yet often misunderstood concept in epidemiology. As immunity accumulates in a population—naturally during the course of an epidemic or
through vaccination—the spread of an infectious disease is limited by the depletion of susceptible hosts. If a sufficient proportion of the population is immune—above the ‘herd immunity threshold’—then transmission generally cannot be sustained. Maintaining herd immunity is therefore critical to long-term disease control. In this primer, we discuss the concept of herd immunity from first principles, clarify common misconceptions, and consider the implications for disease control.
through vaccination—the spread of an infectious disease is limited by the depletion of susceptible hosts. If a sufficient proportion of the population is immune—above the ‘herd immunity threshold’—then transmission generally cannot be sustained. Maintaining herd immunity is therefore critical to long-term disease control. In this primer, we discuss the concept of herd immunity from first principles, clarify common misconceptions, and consider the implications for disease control.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | R174-R177 |
| Journal | Current Biology |
| Early online date | 12 Jan 2021 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 22 Feb 2021 |
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Dive into the research topics of 'Herd immunity'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 2 Active
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The eco-evolutionary dynamics of age-specific resistance to infectious disease
Natural Environment Research Council
1/06/20 → 31/05/23
Project: Research council
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Fellowship Ben Ashby - Host-parasite Coevolution in Complex Communities
Natural Environment Research Council
1/10/16 → 30/09/22
Project: Research council