Taking Booster Dose Can Create Herd Immunity Against Covid: Experts

There is a rapid jump in the number of covid-19 cases in China once again. According to an epidemiologist, China's hospitals have been completely overwhelmed due to this surge.

Eric Feigel-Ding, an epidemiologist and health economist, wrote on Twitter on Wednesday, "Hospitals in China have been completely overwhelmed since the restrictions were lifted." They estimated that more than 60 per cent of China's and 10 per cent of the world's population are likely to be infected in the next 90 days. He further said, "There is a possibility of deaths in lakhs."

If experts are to be believed, herd immunity is achieved when a large proportion of the population acquires immunity against a virus. Due to which the spread of infection from one person to another becomes impossible and such people are protected who do not have immunity. Despite the global spread of SARS-CoV-2, the failure of the virus and vaccine-induced immunity to stop transmission has made herd immunity to SARS-CoV-2 still a distant dream.

Hybrid immunity has been accepted as the strongest immunity to fight SARS-CoV-2. Hybrid immunity against the virus arises in individuals who have had the disease before and who have received the covid-19 vaccine. According to scientists, it produces about 25 to 100 times more antibodies than natural and vaccine-produced immunity.

Hybrid immunity is quite high in India. However, in this situation booster dose will be important. Those who were hesitant about vaccines will now recognise the danger of re-spreading of the virus and come forward for the third dose or booster dose. Experts say that taking a booster dose would create herd immunity against the severe form of the disease and a large population would gain immunity against the virus.