State Health Leaders Say More Vaccinations Needed For Herd Immunity

Oklahoma state health leaders said it is unlikely herd immunity will be reached when it comes to COVID-19 because of the lack of people getting vaccinated and new variants emerging. Oklahoma’s vaccination rate is around 50%, which is significantly lower than the estimated 70% needed to reach herd immunity.

Herd immunity is when a large portion of a community becomes immune to a disease. Doctors with the Healthier Oklahoma Coalition said because we likely will not reach herd immunity, the pandemic is expected to turn into an endemic.

This would mean yearly vaccines would be needed, like the flu. Leaders said there is still a lot to figure out about the virus but agree the vaccine is safe for those who are eligible to get it.

Dr. Mary Clarke, President of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, said fewer people vaccinated will lead to more variants of the virus.

“It is going to develop variants and as those variants get smarter and smarter, they’re going to be able to kind of go under the radar of our immunity that we just built up,” said Clarke.

The vaccine is available to anyone 12 and older. Health leaders expect the vaccine to be expanded to those 6 and older by the end of this year or the start of 2022.