Thread by @latimes

In the early days of the pandemic, epidemiologists estimated herd immunity would require inoculating about two-thirds of the U.S. population.

Now many of those same experts say that figure is almost certainly too low.

latimes.com/world-nation/s…

“If you really want true herd immunity, where you get a blanket of protection over the country … you want about 75 to 85% of the country to get vaccinated,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, said last week. “I would say even closer to 85%.”
latimes.com/world-nation/s…

The question of how many people must be vaccinated is of crucial importance as the world embarks on the biggest inoculation campaign in decades.

latimes.com/world-nation/s…

The goal of vaccination isn’t just to protect the individual who receives it but also to drape a fire blanket over a large enough portion of the population that the fire begins running out of fuel.
latimes.com/world-nation/s…

If too few people are vaccinated, the virus will keep finding enough new hosts to propagate itself — and continue to stress the healthcare system, delay economic recovery, necessitate social distancing and potentially surge again if vaccines lose effectiveness over time.

Read the full story by @Emily_Baum here: latimes.com/world-nation/s…