What is herd immunity?

What is herd immunity?

• A. Immunity achieved by vaccination alone
• B. An individual's immunity to one disease
• C. When a population is largely immune to an infectious disease
• D. A technique used in vaccine development

Answer: (C)

Herd immunity occurs when a significant portion of a population becomes immune to an infectious disease, either through vaccination or previous infections. This high level of immunity limits the spread of the disease, protecting individuals who are not immune, such as those who cannot be vaccinated due to medical conditions or those in whom the vaccine may not provide adequate protection. When enough people in a community are immune, the likelihood of disease transmission decreases, contributing to the overall health of the population. The other options do not correctly capture the essence of herd immunity. Immunity achieved through vaccination alone does not encompass those who may have immunity from previous infections, thus underestimating the collective protection in a population. An individual's immunity to a disease, while important, does not reflect the broader community-level protection that herd immunity provides. Lastly, describing herd immunity as a technique in vaccine development is misleading since herd immunity refers to the outcome of increased population immunity, not a method for creating vaccines.

Herd immunity occurs when a significant portion of a population becomes immune to an infectious disease, either through vaccination or previous infections. This high level of immunity limits the spread of the disease, protecting individuals who are not immune, such as those who cannot be vaccinated due to medical conditions or those in whom the vaccine may not provide adequate protection. When enough people in a community are immune, the likelihood of disease transmission decreases, contributing to the overall health of the population.

The other options do not correctly capture the essence of herd immunity. Immunity achieved through vaccination alone does not encompass those who may have immunity from previous infections, thus underestimating the collective protection in a population. An individual's immunity to a disease, while important, does not reflect the broader community-level protection that herd immunity provides. Lastly, describing herd immunity as a technique in vaccine development is misleading since herd immunity refers to the outcome of increased population immunity, not a method for creating vaccines.