Epidemiology
Herd Immunity
The resistance of a population to an infectious disease due to a high proportion of immune individuals.
Key Concepts
- Threshold: Minimum percentage of population immunity required to stop transmission.
- Protection: Protects vulnerable individuals who cannot be vaccinated (e.g., immunocompromised).
- Natural vs. Artificial: Acquired through disease recovery or vaccination.
Public Health Impact
- Reduces the overall reservoir of pathogens in the community.
- Essential for eradicating diseases like polio or measles.
- Requires sustained high immunization coverage rates.
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