Despite the fact that children are not vaccinated against coronavirus, herd immunity will still develop thanks to mass vaccinations. This myth was dispelled in an interview with RIA Novosti by the immunologist, head of the department of the University clinic of the Jerusalem hospital Hadassah Ein-Kerem, Professor Polina Stepenskaya.
Earlier, a similar concern was expressed in the Israeli Ministry of Health. More than 3.5 million people have already been vaccinated there, and another 700 thousand have been ill. At the same time, Stepenskaya clarified that the country did not check how many children had been ill.
“For the usual coronavirus, it was calculated that for the formation of herd immunity, it is necessary that 43 to 75 percent of the population be immunized – have been ill or vaccinated. This is the data published in the scientific press,” the professor explained. She added that even if infected with the UK strain of COVID-19, 75 percent of the population would be immune enough.
Earlier, at a meeting of the parliamentary committee on coronavirus in the Israeli Knesset, the director of the country’s public health service, Sharon Alroi-Price, expressed concerns that mass vaccination bypasses children, which means that the formation of herd immunity will be problematic.
Stepenskaya stressed that such statements have no scientific basis. “Unfortunately, the voices of real scientists are not heard at all, and some intimidation is heard without reason. Everyone makes such statements, and then they are surprised that people do not want to be vaccinated,” the immunologist summed up.