While some experts aren't confident the world can reach herd immunity given the threat the Delta variant poses, Dr. Anthony Fauci is still hopeful.
COVID-19 vaccinations are believed to be key to ending the pandemic but only 32 percent of the world has been fully vaccinated and reaching global herd immunity could be eight months away.
As of Thursday, only 16 countries--Malta, Portugal, the United Arab Emirates, Iceland, Singapore, Spain, Qatar, Denmark, Uruguay, Chile, Ireland, the Seychelles, San Marino, Belgium, China and Canada--have fully vaccinated at least 70 percent of their residents. Dr., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , believes 70 percent is the minimum needed to achieve herd immunity.
Achieving herd immunity happens when enough of a population has immunity to a virus that the virus' ability to spread is significantly limited, thereby protecting an entire community. The goal of reaching herd immunity in terms of COVID-19 has been to protect those who cannot be vaccinated against the virus.
"And that does mean that anyone who's still unvaccinated, at some point, will meet the virus. That might not be this month or next month, it might be next year, but at some point, they will meet the virus and we don't have anything that will stop that transmission," Pollard said.
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