AN expert admitted that it is still not possible for now to achieve herd immunity that everyone desires.
During the Laging Handa public briefing, Dr. Edsel Salvania, an infectious disease expert, emphasized that emerging new variants of COVID-19 continue to be a hurdle in achieving herd immunity.
According to Salvania, the new variants weaken the efficacy of the vaccines that are currently available.
He said that although the vaccines are 90-percent effective at preventing severity and death for those who contract COVID-19, this was during the time when there are no new variants yet.
But because new variants and mutations keep emerging, Salvania said these reduces the effectivity of vaccines to only 30-40 percent.
Because of this, Salvanai said that even if all people become vaccinated, the so-called sterilized immunity still cannot be reached there will still be breakthrough infections.
However, Salvania reiterated that vaccination is still very important against severe infections and death due to COVID-19.