COVID-19 Pandemic Treatments, Vaccinations, And Herd Immunity

COVID-19 Pandemic Treatments, Vaccinations, And Herd Immunity

 As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise across the world, everyone including patients, physicians, nurses, and healthcare workers are awaiting vaccines that might finally put an end to this challenging phase.

There has also been a lot of discussion about herd immunity and how it would change the course of this pandemic.

Most of us have our hopes pinned on herd immunity at least until vaccinations are made available.

But what exactly is herd immunity and how it develops? Also, once we have it, will it really diminish the spread of this virus and reduce the need for social distancing and masks?

These are the topmost questions in the minds of people. Let's find answers to what herb immunity actually means.

What is herd immunity?

Herd immunity is formed when enough patients have developed immunity to any specific infectious disease such that further community transmission is significantly reduced or eliminated.

The development of herd immunity requires a large percentage of the population to develop antibodies against the specific pathogen after they have been exposed to and infected with it. 

These antibodies protect patients against re-infection for a certain period of time. It can also prevent them from spreading the disease to others as their immune system is now capable of destroying the pathogen.

What would it take to develop herd immunity against SARS-CoV-2?

For SARS-CoV-2, it is estimated that nearly 60% of the population would have to be exposed to the virus to produce the antibodies needed to develop herd immunity.

However, as of now, this is only an estimate and there is no confirmation regarding when and whether or not it will actually be achieved.

Right now, most countries have just 3 to 5% of the population infected. So, we are still in the single digits and even these small numbers are already putting a huge strain on the medical systems worldwide.

This is another reason why vaccinations are being anxiously waited for.

Having vaccines would help us avoid waiting for too long or the need to rely on developing natural immunity that can develop only after a person has been infected and recovered.

 

When will we have a vaccine for COVID-19?

If the current clinical trials prove to be effective, we might have a vaccine for COVID-19 in early 2021.

However, there are several steps involved in the development of vaccines includingthe assessment of their safety and effectiveness.

Also, even after a vaccine is developed, it will have to be distributed and administered to people. After this, it may take a few more weeks for these people to build up adequate antibodies to stay protected against COVID-19.

This shows it's going to be long before we can actually resume our pre-COVID lifestyle. Until then, we need to keep following precautionary measures to protect ourselves and minimize the spread of the virus.

There are several queries physicians and nurses have about herd immunity and vaccinations. And they look up to researchers and expert physicians to find answers to their concerns.

Now you have an opportunity to discuss your concerns with expert physicians and learn more about herd immunity and vaccinations for COVID-19.

Physicians, nurses, and other healthcare practitioners can join the webinar on the COVID-19 pandemic on 30th September 2020 between 3 pm to 8 pm. You will learn everything you need to know about COVID-19 including its evolution, epidemiology, psychophysiology, treatment, vaccinations, and much more.

You can also ask questions and interact with our panel of expert physicians to get answers to your queries so that you can take better care of your patients at least until relief comes in the forms of herd immunity or vaccinations.


Location: East Stroudsburg, PA 18301, USA

Popular posts from this blog

RESPIRATORY THERAPY TOPICS ON SLEEP MEDICINE WEBINAR

A & T Lectures Sleep Medicine Webinar Respiratory Conference that is considered live or traditional CEU’s. You can interact and ask questions after the presentation. Hosted by A & T Lectures Using Zoom Video Communications We will be offering 5 Live/Webinar AARC approved CEU’s October 22 @ 4:00 pm - 9:00 pm  CONFERENCE SCHEDULE AND INSTRUCTION ON ACCESSING THIS WEBINAR Register for the conference Special note: You can join the conference for free but only those that register will get the 5 CEU’s Download ZOOM to your computer or laptop/desktop (its free) Practice using ZOOM with a friend before entering the webinar as this will not be the right time to teach you how to access the conference Make sure you join the webinar by accessing this link 10 minutes before the conference. Join The Webinar
Read more

Pulmonary Fibrosis – Symptoms, Causes, Stages, and Treatment

Image
Pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disorder that occurs when the tissues in the lungs become damaged followed by scarring. Scaring results in the formation of thick and stiff tissue that makes it more difficult for the lungs to expand and relax preventing them from working properly. As pulmonary fibrosis becomes worsens, the patient becomes short of breath in a progressive manner. The scarring linked to pulmonary fibrosis is often caused due to a combination of factors. However, in most cases, it is difficult to detect the exact cause that triggered the development of this condition. When no specific cause can be found, the condition is called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The damage caused due to pulmonary fibrosis cannot be reversed. However, medications and treatment may sometimes help to ease the symptoms and improve the patient's quality of life. In some patients, a lung transplant may be required. Stages of pulmonary fibrosis Stage 1: Recent diagnosis The common early
Read more

Management Of Respiratory Failure In COVID Patients

Image
Management Of Respiratory Failure In COVID Patients It’s been more than 8 months now and still, the COVID-19 pandemic shows no sign of decline in the number of cases. What makes the COVID-19 pandemic a major cause of concern is the high risk of mortality associated with it, particularly due to respiratory failure. COVID-19 has a higher tropism for the lung and is known to cause severe pneumonia and ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome), especially in patients with a weak immune system and existing co-morbidities. This marks the need for the physicians, nurses, and healthcare workers to stay abreast of the latest information about the risk of ARDS and the recommended protocol for the management of respiratory distress in COVID-19 patients. Clinical features of ARDS in COVID-19 patents Most patients with COVID-induced respiratory distress meet the Berlin definition of ARDS. However, some patients may exhibit a different phenotype of ARDS with lower lung weight, higher lu
Read more