Two States Are Careening Toward Herd Immunity, Putting Covid Behind Them

Source: Ed Jones/AFP via Getty ImagesA National Guard soldier gives a COVID-19 vaccine at a pop-up vaccination stand at the Vermont Cream

Vermont is set to become the first US state to vaccinate 75% of its population with at least one dose — a milestone that may indicate it has reached herd immunity.

Herd immunity is what we want. Herd immunity means the map of the United States turns from orange and red to yellow. It means snuffing out the virus so it doesn't mutate. We go back to the lives we had when the word COVID was not in our brains or on our lips. No masks, not CDC warnings, no guidelines.

Two states are inching toward herd immunity

Vermont and Massachusetts. 

What is herd immunity? 

According to the World Health Organization,

'Herd immunity,' also known as 'population immunity,' is the indirect protection from an infectious disease that happens when a population is immune either through vaccination or immunity developed through previous infection.'

The former (vaccination) keeps more people alive, the latter (letting people just catch the virus) kills more people. 

Vermont is in the lead to reach herd immunity. No surprise there. It is a state with a small population of 623,989. As well as a very liberal state.

Here's to Vermont! I would move to Vermont, but I don't like cold, ice, or snow. I'd rather other states catch up, like my home state, California, which is possible but might take longer with our large population. 

According to Business Insider, Vermont has administered at least one vaccine dose to nearly 75% of its population.

Updated on Tuesday, July 27, the state only had 11 new cases. According to the online local newspaper, VTdigger.org, the numbers are impressive.

• 850.8K total doses have been administered
• 426,291 Vermonters are vaccinated
• That is close to herd immunity, at 77.37% fully vaccinated

If the rest of the country followed Vermont's stellar vaccination record, no more covid.

Source: NYTCoronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count

Scientists are still figuring out the novel coronavirus daily

It's an ever-evolving threat.

The percentage of people vaccinated to reach herd immunity is still a debate among scientists. Some say 75%, others say the number is closer to 90%. Because the coronavirus is the "novel" coronavirus, scientists are still learning about the virus. Information tends to change.

Throw in a new variant, and you get news studies, thus, more time to wait for the results of said studies, new data to parse out and inform safety guidelines.

We've only had the vaccines for less than a year, so studies on how much the vaccination protects against new strains have to be conducted as new strains evolve. The data just isn't available yet. We don't have a large enough data pool. In other words, we just don't know everything. Scientists are learning new information each day.  

The second state closest to herd immunity

Massachusetts is the second state with the highest percentage of their state's population vaccinated. 

• Number of people fully vaccinated: 4,366,341
• Percentage of the population fully vaccinated: 63.35

Covid doesn't care what your political affiliation is. It kills people of all political stripes, but it kills more of the unvaccinated population. The unvaccinated and vaccinated can spread the disease, but the vaccinated have a lower percentage of risk from death and serious illness. Only we have the power to stop it from mutating. 

The virus is the fire. People are the fuel. The way we insulate ourselves from that fire is through vaccination. The mRNA vaccine has been proven to be safe and incredibly effective in decreasing the chances of contracting the airborne virus and preventing death if you do.

What do you think? Do you want your state to reach herd immunity so we squash this virus? Are you talking to friends and family about how important getting vaccinates is for the community at large and small?

Can every state look to Vermont as an example? 

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