Mass Vaccination
Mass vaccination or immunization programs are based on the concept of herd immunity.
What is herd immunity?
Herd immunity is a form of indirect protection from infectious diseases that can occur when a sufficient percentage of a population has become immune to an infection, usually through vaccination or previous exposure, thereby reducing the likelihood of infection for individuals who lack immunity (and are at highest risk for exposure).
So why mass vaccination?
- Mass vaccination rapidly increases herd immunity in the settings of existing and potential outbreaks of infectious diseases, as it helps control the spread of disease in the absence of routine vaccination.
- A second important use of mass vaccination is to introduce a new vaccine and rapidly increase coverage and its incorporation into routine immunization programs. This helps build herd immunity levels required to meet targets for disease eradication and reduces the severity of outbreaks.
With the COVID-19 epidemic, mass vaccination has been one of the most popular ways of meeting vaccination targets across the globe. Check out some community stories below: