Since January, Jakarta has continued to carry through the Covid-19 vaccination program, even more intensively. Various types of Covid-19 vaccines are continuously being brought, the latest arrivals are Janssen, Convidecia, and Sputnik-V vaccines which have obtained an Emergency Use Authorization from The National Agency of Drug and Food Control. In Jakarta, 10 million people have gotten their first jab, which consists of 62% are people with Jakarta ID and the rest 38% are non-Jakarta residents. Vaccination centers and vaccine cars are still available to achieve the goal we have always been going for: herd immunity. 

The Pursuit of Herd Immunity 

Herd immunity or community immunity is a condition when people are immune to a disease. When most people are immune, the spread of disease will be unlikely. The effects will not be as severe when the disease first begins to emerge. Herd immunity can be achieved in two ways: vaccination or exposure after being infected with the disease. The latter is not the option we want to take, obviously. Not only it would cost lives, it would also worsen the situation because a lot of people would be infected and eventually put hospitals to collapse. That’s why vaccination will always be available because it’s our only way to reach herd immunity. Pursuing herd immunity also means protecting vulnerable groups who aren’t eligible for vaccination. In conclusion, the Covid-19 vaccine doesn’t only save us, but also those who are vulnerable. 

How Many People Need to be Immune For Herd Immunity? 

The percentage of the population that needs to be immune to attain herd immunity varies by disease. For example, to achieve herd immunity against measles, 95% of the population must be vaccinated, while the percentage for polio is 80%. Until now, there is no definite number that is guaranteed as effective to reach herd immunity for Covid-19. In Indonesia, initially, the government announced that 70% of the population must be fully vaccinated to achieve herd immunity. Unfortunately, with the outbreak of the new variants, this figure can no longer be used as a benchmark to attain herd immunity. As the new variants are more transmissible than the original virus, experts estimate that herd immunity for Covid-19 can be achieved if 80% to 90% of the populationhas been vaccinated. In Jakarta, approximately 4.6 million people with Jakarta ID have been fully vaccinated. This means Jakarta has only reached 51% of the target of 8.9 million. For Indonesia, as many as 228.5 million people must be fully vaccinated in order to reach herd immunity.

Vaccination, The Only Way to Herd Immunity 

Yup, Covid-19 vaccination is the best way to build immunity against this disease. At this point, you’ve probably memorized all the benefits of the Covid-19 vaccine: preventing us from severe symptoms, slowing down the virus from forging ahead, and protecting the people around us. Not only that, with vaccination, we’ll reduce the risk of being hospitalized, which will save us from unnecessary expenses. Getting vaccinated also means we’ve helped ease the burden on healthcare workers who’ve been working tirelessly in hospitals. 

What’s the Next Step After Herd Immunity? 

When herd immunity is achieved, it does not mean the cases will instantly stop and everyone is free from Covid-19. The scenario that likely occurs is that the spread of Covid-19 will slow down. Some experts say Covid-19 may become endemic like measles or polio. This means that we will live with Covid-19 for a long time, but the case is low and under control. So far, no one can predict when the Covid-19 herd immunity status will be achieved as we are currently in a “race” between vaccinations and new variants. Research is still ongoing to ensure that the vaccines are effective against mutated viruses. For this reason, even though you’ve been fully vaccinated, we still have to be disciplined in obeying the health protocols.

Smartcitizens, let’s keep our guard up!  Be sure to get yourself and your closest ones vaccinated and remember, no one is safe until everyone is safe.