Many infection-causing pathogens surround us. Not all of us are immune to them all or the same ones. The timing of infection or the level of impact can vary from person to person. Some infections have a one-time vaccination that will prevent such infections in the future, and sometimes, the body learns to become immune to it. So, can immunity also spread among a community just as infections do? Are you aware of herd immunity and how it can benefit a newborn?
When a majority of the people in one community develop immunity to a particular disease or infection, it reduces the chances of the infection spreading among the community members.
Infections and diseases need to breed and spread. Once they affect a person, they get stronger and move on to their next target. When this keeps happening, the infections get more substantial and start affecting everyone around. When most community members are immune to this particular infection or disease, it cannot spread easily. It may spread to one or two people and then stop as the following targets could be immune to it. So, the infection does not go around much and does not last very long either.
People can develop immunity to infections or diseases in the following ways:
Today most diseases have effective vaccines. When most community members take the vaccine, they develop herd immunity against that particular disease. The vaccines teach the body to develop antibodies to fight the infection effectively. The antibodies stay in the body and keep the person immune.
When the body gets infected with a bacterium or virus, the immune system will develop antibodies to fight it off. These antibodies stay in the body and activate when the same virus or bacterium tries to attack again, thus keeping the person safe.
Passive immunity for babies can happen in two ways:
● The mother passes antibodies to the baby through the placenta and breastmilk, thus providing some immunity to the baby.
● Antibody shots are given to babies at different stages to slowly develop their defense mechanisms against certain infections.
When such immunity is developed among many people in the community, the community as a whole develops immunity against that infection. This herd immunity can keep the impact of infection low and protect babies or other non-infected people from infection as the virus or bacterium does not have a body to thrive in, get stronger and spread.
Herd immunity, also known as community immunity, can help those who have never been infected with or got vaccinated for a particular type of disease. Both these can help the body develop antibodies for that infection, actively fight it off and keep the body safe.
When many people in the community are immune to certain infections and diseases, it can protect everyone in the community from getting infected. Some diseases like measles are very contagious and can become aggressive. Such infections require everyone to become immune and develop antibodies to stay safe.
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When the community the baby is born into or exposed to is immune from certain diseases, it can also prevent the baby from contracting them. When the infection does not exist in the herd to which the baby is exposed, they will not contract that virus or bacterium.
For example, polio is a very contagious disease in many countries. Over time with an ample number of vaccination drives and education, WHO has succeeded in eradicating polio in most countries. So, now babies born in these countries are protected from contracting polio due to herd immunity against polio. This baby may need to take a vaccination against polio if and when they are stepping out of their herd or community and are going to a community where the infection is prevalent.
Newborn babies can benefit from herd immunity as it reduces the number of vaccines a newborn requires to stay safe from certain diseases. If a particular disease is not present around the baby, they won’t need a vaccination to stay safe.
Over time, the efficacy of herd immunity against certain diseases and infections will decrease. The community as such will require a booster dose of the vaccine to ensure the protection continues. When people fail to get these booster doses on time, they are vulnerable to infection. Since many may not consider getting infected, they may miss the symptoms or go to the doctor very late. For some diseases, a late diagnosis can cause some damage.
Newborn babies do not have any immunity of their own, their immune systems are still very immature to fight any infections and need all the support possible to stay healthy and safe. While the immunity from the mother and the initial vaccines can offer some protection, herd immunity can really keep them safe from stronger infections. Since babies cannot get many vaccinations yet, herd immunity can benefit newborns.
Herd immunity is a type where a large part of the community is immune to certain infections and diseases. This, in turn, will protect the non-immune members of the community, too. Babies born into these communities are automatically protected from specific infections or diseases without vaccination.
Some vaccines will contain the weakened form of live viruses to stimulate the immune system to develop antibodies. A newborn’s immune system is still fragile and immature and cannot develop such antibodies. These vaccines will cause more damage than protect the newborns.
There are many diseases that herd immunity can protect a baby from. This includes polio, COVID-19 and many others. The list can vary from country to country or from community to community.
When breastfeeding, the mother passes on some antibodies to the baby, thus providing protection against infections for a brief while. This helps keep the baby safe until its immune system develops enough to protect itself.
