The indirect protection a population gains against an infectious disease once enough of its members are immune, whether through vaccination or prior infection, that sustained transmission becomes unlikely and even those not immune are shielded. The proportion needed varies by disease, driven by how contagious it is.
Facts
First Described YearSourced to the subject's own account First Described EraSourced to the subject's own accountTerm coined 1894 in veterinary science; adopted into human epidemiology by British bacteriologists by 1923 1 Concept ClassEpidemiology, population immunity 2 Connections
Associated With
Source Encyclopedia Britannica
Sustained high coverage under routine immunization programmes is what produces herd immunity against the targeted diseases.
Source Wikipedia: Expanded Programme on Immunization
Source World Health Organization Official Site
In Branch
Source Encyclopedia Britannica
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Herd Immunity
WikipediaHistory section
By 1923, it was being used by British bacteriologists to describe experimental epidemics with mice.
Lead section
Herd immunity (also called herd effect, community immunity, population immunity, or mass immunity).
View the Source 2. Encyclopedia Britannica
World Health Organization Official Site
World Health OrganizationAssociated With: Mass Vaccination CampaignView the Source Wikipedia: Expanded Programme on Immunization
WikipediaAssociated With: Expanded Programme on ImmunizationView the Source Reader Challenges (0)
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