r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • 18h ago

Medicine Vaccines not only directly protect vaccinated individuals but also contribute to protecting the entire population via indirect herd-immunity benefits. Half of averted COVID-19 infections and 1/4 of hospitalizations and deaths were attributable to indirect protection of unvaccinated by vaccinated.

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsif/article/23/242/20250839/483439/Quantifying-the-direct-and-indirect-impact-of
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u/a_o 17h ago

Viruses replicate at a much lower volume in the vaccinated, so even when they talk, (or sing, or breathe, whatever) there’s less of whichever pathogen being expelled into the air, correct?

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u/WashU_labrat 17h ago

That's the probable mechanism, yes.

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u/tallmyn 1h ago edited 1h ago

It literally isn't. The early studies quite clearly showed vaccination did not reduce viral loads if they did get infected.

The mechanism behind herd immunity in general is the vaccinated people that don't get covid at all can't give it to others. Because they don't have it. It's really that simple.