As demand for the COVID-19 vaccine begins to decline throughout the state, some local health officials say herd immunity may not be as achievable as they once hoped.
For nearly a year now, people have put their sights on reaching the point when enough people have antibodies from being infected or receiving a vaccine to ultimately stop the spread of the virus and end the pandemic. National leaders said that number could be anywhere between 70% and 90%.
Now, health officials are saying there’s no clear indication on when – or if – the country and smaller communities within it will reach herd immunity. Even after more than 50% of Americans have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, about a quarter of Americans still say they don’t plan on getting vaccinated, making large-scale immunity nearly impossible.