Experts: Sweden is close to herd immunity

According to experts in Sweden, the population could achieve herd immunity to the coronavirus within a few weeks due to the omicron variant.

The omicron variant spreads rapidly. It is more contagious than previous variants. At the same time, it leads to a lower proportion of those infected becoming seriously ill.

Thus, the population is approaching the so-called herd immunity: The protection that arises at the group level because a high proportion of the population has become immune. In such a situation, there are few people left who can be infected and spread the virus further.

“We know that when the infection curve begins to turn downwards, it is because herd immunity begins to occur,” Tom Britton, professor of mathematical statistics at Stockholm University, stated.

He justifies his comment with the fact that no stricter restrictions have been introduced, which could have been alternative explanations for lower infection rates.

One to two weeks away?

Britton does not know when the infection will start to subside but guesses that it is a matter of one to two weeks. Joakim Dillner, professor of infection epidemiology at Karolinska Institutet, agrees.

However, he prefers the term population immunity to herd immunity.

“I think that the spread of infection will start to decrease in one to two weeks because we will achieve population immunity,” he said.

Also, in Denmark, the population could achieve herd immunity within the next few weeks, according to the Statens Serum Institut.

Source : © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews

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