Herd immunity

Abstract

Herd immunity is an important yet often misunderstood concept in epidemiology. As immunity accumulates in a population - naturally during the course of an epidemic or through vaccination - the spread of an infectious disease is limited by the depletion of susceptible hosts. If a sufficient proportion of the population is immune - above the 'herd immunity threshold' - then transmission generally cannot be sustained. Maintaining herd immunity is therefore critical to long-term disease control. In this primer, we discuss the concept of herd immunity from first principles, clarify common misconceptions, and consider the implications for disease control.