What Will Happen To Those Who Don’t Get Vaccinated?

I just got my second dose of the Pfizer vaccine so I am fully vaccinated. But what will happen to those who do not get vaccinated?

According to the Midland Reporter-Telegram, people who do not get vaccinated will get the virus, simple as that, but it might add to the herd immunity.

"We know what will happen to them," said Dr. John Swartzberg, an infectious disease and vaccinology professor emeritus at UC Berkeley. "With a virus that is as contagious as this one and becoming more contagious due to variants, people who decide not to get vaccinated are likely over time to get infected. Ultimately, the people who chose to not get vaccinated will contribute to herd immunity by the fact that they got infected."

But by not taking the vaccine, people could compromise the safety of others in the community.

"We need to get to herd immunity to protect those people who can’t get vaccinated," Swartzberg said. "They’re delaying the safety for all of us. I hear everyone saying deciding to get vaccinated is an individual choice, but the calculus in that choice is twofold — one is to vaccinate yourself and the other is protect others. I think we have a responsibility to protect our communities."

A research study in February found that 69% of adults said they would get a COVID-19 vaccine with 65 and older people being more likely to get it than younger adults.

But it will take time, like possibly next winter, to find out just what happens to those who decide to skip the vaccine.

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