WACO, Texas — As the numbers of COVID-19 continue to rise across the state of Texas, many people are discussing the topic of herd immunity.
Herd immunity is when enough people become immune to the disease, either through vaccination or because they've had the disease, that the disease can no longer spread widely. To achieve herd immunity, you need at least 70 percent of a population to develop immunity for a virus like COVID-19.
Emily Smith, an epidemiologist from Baylor University, said countries have attempted this and failed.
"Sweden tried this approach with very, very, very few restrictions or mitigation measures," Smith said. "They saw more deaths than expected and when they tested people in mid-may to see who was immune they were hoping 40 percent were but it was only 6 percent."
If the U.S. wanted to attempt herd immunity at 60 percent, that would mean 200 million people would need to get the coronavirus.
"Although the mortality rate in the U.S. is 0.5-1 percent, that still means one million people would have to die from COVID-19 before herd immunity is achieved," Smith said.
While this has worked for other diseases like chicken pox, because it's rarely serious or fatal, it can have significant effects on the U.S.
"To just let everyone get it and wait util 60 percent is reached has serious ramifications in terms of mortality and like what were seeing now with hospitalizations," Smith said.
Immunity after exposure to chicken-pox, measles and other diseases lasts a long time - sometimes a lifetime. However, there is still no clear scientific evidence about how long immunity (antibodies) last with with this new virus.
Recent studies show it might only last two or three months, and may depend on how sick someone was with the virus.
Fore more from Emily Smith click here.
Also on KCENTV.com
- Governor Abbott announces U.S. Navy support in Rio Grande Valley, Southwest Texas to help combat COVID-19
- Houston pastor died within days of COVID-19 diagnosis, family says
- Kentucky couple on house arrest for refusing to sign self-isolation order after one tests positive for coronavirus
- Bell County reports 1 new COVID-19 death Sunday
