Vaccines, Herd Immunity, and COVID-19.

ABSTRACT

Vaccines in America have led to the eradication of transmissible infections and the reduction of vaccine preventable diseases among all age groups. Vaccines are important to the safety and welfare of our nation because vaccines produce immunity from infectious diseases. When most of the American population is vaccinated against COVID-19 and other transmittable diseases, herd or community immunity can slow disease transmission, including protection against the disease among persons who have not received the vaccines, and reduce the risk at-large of severe infections and adverse consequences of those diseases.