To understand why COVID vaccination is so important, we first need to understand the concept of herd immunity. We all know that vaccination protects us from getting the disease – but more importantly, it can stop the spread of the virus. An immune person cannot pass on the virus and the chain of transmission can be stopped.

When enough people in a community is vaccinated/immune to the virus, everyone in the community is safe. This is what we called herd immunity or community immunity.

This is how a virus normally spreads within a community

With 50% vaccination, this is what happens:

Notice how the whole population is protected eventhough only 50% of the people are vaccinated?

There are people who can’t be vaccinated, maybe because they are too young, too old, pregnant, or have weak immune systems etc.

But if these people are surrounded by people who have received the vaccine, then they can be safe too!