COVID-19 | Herd Immunity

If the vaccine is found to be effective, safe, and long-lasting, and if enough people are vaccinated, Dr. Webb says achieving herd immunity is possible. Pfizer says their vaccine is anticipated to be available in limited amounts by the end of the year as long as studies continue to show appropriate safety and efficacy results. It will be distributed to healthcare workers and high-risk groups first, then will hopefully be more widely distributed through the first half of 2021. But Dr. Webb warns that masking, social distancing, and other restrictions will still need to be followed at least through next spring and summer while the vaccine is distributed. Dr. Webb says without a vaccine or strong vaccine acceptance, building herd immunity naturally is virtually impossible. Studies show people are only immune for three to nine months after having the virus, so at least 70 percent of the population would have to be infected within nine months to reach herd immunity. If that were even possible, Dr. Webb says it would result in more than 9 million hospitalizations, at least 2.3 million deaths, and more than $109 billion in lost revenue in the U.S. alone. He says slowing the spread of the virus is the best option until a vaccine is widely available. “I just want to give a big thanks to everyone who is taking this seriously,” Dr. Webb adds. “This may not cause severe disease for you, but it might for someone you know, and it certainly does for a lot of people that I see every day. We recognize that it’s hard to live this new normal. But from my perspective, it’s terribly important and we really appreciate it.”