key: cord-1031911-8xa6n20b
authors: Lee, Jong-Koo
title: Can we reach a 70% level of herd immunity to return to normality?
date: 2021-04-29
journal: Osong Public Health Res Perspect
DOI: 10.24171/j.phrp.2021.12.2.01
sha: 1a5d009ac27c7cbffcfe17c8dddbca5a69cf7009
doc_id: 1031911
cord_uid: 8xa6n20b

nan

vaccines, approximately 1.57 million are being secured and vaccination is being promoted, resulting in a vaccination rate of 2% of the population [2] . The high-risk group, consisting of people over 65 years old, was assigned to receive vaccinations first and foremost to reduce mortality and the incidence of severe COVID-19 cases. Although some hypersensitivity reactions have been reported, vaccine hesitancy is low, and vaccines must be imported on a continuous basis to meet the government's target immunization level of 70%. However, in contrast to what the original plan predicted, vaccine supply might be difficult to come by. As the need for vaccination will increase year after year due to the possibility of COVID-19 becoming an endemic disease, now is a critical time to ramp up CMO vaccine production and to create original domestic vaccines using new technologies.

Secondly, with a broader range of variants occurring in some countries, preparedness is more important than expected. B. [7] . Furthermore, it has been reported that vaccines-especially the AZ vaccine-have limited efficacy in preventing infections with the B.1.1.7 variant. For B.1.351, it has been demonstrated that most of the vaccines, including the Moderna, Pfizer, and AZ vaccines, had a lower neutralizing antibody titer, and the AZ vaccine had no effect on mild cases, leaving an information gap regarding the effectiveness of the vaccine against asymptomatic infections. It was also reported to have a low neutralizing antibody titer against B1.1.28.1. Before the newer variants in Korea become the main epidemic or natural selection creates another new variant in Korea, the vaccination rate should be rapidly increased, and measures to prevent the transmission of variants should be strengthened by monitoring imported cases and quarantining people suspected to be infected. Of course, as the vaccination rate rises, so does the freedom to travel and the possibility of an influx of variants. Supporting both low-and middle-income countries in increasing vaccination rates can ensure that no country falls behind. The submission of a certification of a negative COVID-19 test by travelers should also prevent variants from being exported.

Thirdly, despite the above-mentioned quarantine and vaccination measures, which are effective in reducing severe cases and deaths, there is a gap in the prevention of asymptomatic infection and transmission, making it necessary to maintain social distance and wear a mask to block transmission. Whether or not herd immunity is achieved through vaccination, it will be difficult to return to the previous normal. Long-term countermeasures must be prepared quickly for the winter. As protection that focuses on the elderly in the winter, certain activities (such as visiting nursing homes, various gatherings, sports facilities, religious gatherings, and dining) will be not permitted for people over the age of 65 [6] . Distance working and education will be promoted more aggressively than in previous years. In addition, because there is a high likelihood that the number of severely ill patients will increase and there will be a shortage of ICU beds and workforce, as seen in 2020, measures to secure stable ICU nurses and beds in preparation for the double burden caused by the seasonal influenza epidemic should be supplemented.

Finally, R&D is a powerful tool to combat emerging reemerging diseases. People must be encouraged to conduct research, research funds must be raised, and the research environment must be improved. Eventually, COVID-19 control and eradication will be a battle between the development of vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics and stockpiling of supplies. There is a particularly pressing need to establish correlates of protection so that vaccine efficacy results obtained with pre-existing variants can be translated to newly emerging variants because it is impractical and time-consuming to repeat clinical trials with each new variant that may exhibit immune escape [8] .

Not applicable.

The author has no conflicts of interest to declare.

None.

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