[JamesBarney]

If you're talking about herd immunity, you might not be as up to date on the newest variants. We could theoretically reach herd immunity against the original covid-19. But there was no practical way to get to herd immunity with delta without mandating three vaccine shots at gunpoint which would be about as popular as burning Medicare to the ground.

With Omikron herd immunity is impossible. 100% vaccinated population wouldn't get us there.

[TheDong]

> With Omikron herd immunity is impossible. 100% vaccinated population wouldn't get us there.

But, as the linked page says:

> Transmissibility: It is not yet clear whether Omicron is more transmissible

We do not know enough about Omicron for you to be able to make a statement like that. Do you have a source that has a better understanding than the WHO?

In addition, even if there are covid variants that our current vaccines are not effective enough with a 100% vaccinated population to cause herd immunity, that doesn't mean it's impossible, just that we need better vaccines. There are some viruses that mutate so quickly that it's unlikely for us to ever have full herd immunity (i.e. the flu, though even for the flu, if we had good enough vaccines and coverage, it might cease to exist), but I don't see you making a compelling argument about that.

[JamesBarney]

It will be weeks until we're certain that Omicron is significantly more transmissible in the uninfected/previously infected/vaccinated groups than Delta.

But lots of preliminary data suggests it will be. That's why Omicron was designated a variant of concern. I think this guy has made a pretty compelling case. https://twitter.com/DrEricDing

What do you think the chances are that Omicron is more than 20% more transmissible among the 1) infected : 85% 2) vaccinated : 80% 3) unvaccinated/uninfected : 75%

[noahmasur]

We may not be able to achieve full herd immunity, but better herd resistance may be the only way to help those who can't benefit from the vaccine.

If the Delta and other contagious variants are spreading more in communities with lower vaccine adoption, then I think it would stand to reason that immunocompromised people would be safer in communities with higher vaccine adoption.