Re:Google Offices to Mandate Vaccines
by alistairSH on Wednesday July 28, 2021 @03:02PM
(#27988178)
Wouldn't that more likely apply in the case where we have significant vaccination rates, but NOT yet at the level of herd immunity? IE, if we're vaccinated to the point of herd immunity, this ceases to be a problem? To be otherwise would tend to imply smallpox and other vaccines should already have evolved, no?
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Re:Google Offices to Mandate Vaccines
by thisiscorrect on Wednesday July 28, 2021 @03:13PM
(#27988312)
I think you mean "smallpox and other viruses should already have evolved."
The difference is that the smallpox vaccine prevented infection of the vaccinated. That's not the case for existing SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. https://www.verywellhealth.com/covid-19-vaccines-and-sterili... gives an approachable overview of the difference.
Smallpox was eradicated. The likelihood of the same happening to SARS-CoV-2 is lower. At least, it would be the first example of a respiratory infection being eliminated. Influenza hasn't been eradicated and it does continue to evolve.
More broadly, the idea of "immune escape" is hardly something I can lay claim to. You can read about it in existing literature.