With 1 million people fully vaccinated against COVID-19, when will Wisconsin benefit from herd immunity?

MADISON, Wisconsin. – While Wisconsin has now seen more than a million people get fully vaccinated against COVID-19, local doctors say there is still a long way to go before we approach herd immunity.

They say 70 to 80 percent of the population must be immunized before herd immunity can be considered. This can happen either through vaccination or through a natural illness, which UW Health’s Dr Nasia Safdar says no one wants to see more of.

She says when herd immunity occurs depends on how quickly the vaccine supply is deployed and how many people end up taking advantage of the free vaccines.

“One is the vaccine supply and the other is that the population on the other end has to be willing to take the vaccine once it is offered,” says Dr Safdar.

She believes herd immunity is possible for parts of the population by the summer, but points out that there is only one vaccine approved for people aged 16 to 18 per hour current, and none are approved for young ages.

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