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Coronavirus Is a Stark Reminder of Why Vaccinations Matter
What social distancing and herd immunity are reteaching us
Since the outbreak of Covid-19, the debate over routine vaccinations has been all but silent. While millions of people worldwide begin to adhere to social distancing standards to help curb the spread of coronavirus, we are all unintentionally receiving a real-life lesson on how herd immunity works and why vaccine proponents are so adamant about widely disseminated vaccines.
By now, most have seen simulators that visually demonstrate the effects of social distancing on Covid-19 proliferation. The Washington Post published simulators that show small dots moving about in space, each representing an individual free to circulate in their environment and interact with people as they choose. In the instance where social distancing practices are avoided, the random movement of dots leads to dramatic acceleration of new coronavirus cases. But as each individual adheres to social distancing measures, their representative dot stops moving. As more and more dots sit still, the spread of the simulated coronavirus slows dramatically. As we have all learned, this illustrates why governments around the world are urging people to halt or limit interactions. Essentially, the goal is for everyone to become a stationary dot. So, what does that…
