Earlier this week World Health Organization experts suggested that the COVID-19 herd immunity was a realistic possibility for Europe to attain in the coming weeks.

Now State Serum Institut (SSI) has followed suit, basing its conclusion on the widespread infection in combination with high vaccination numbers.

“It will lead to the infection rate dropping as it will simply be more difficult for the virus to find susceptible hosts in our society,” SSI department head Tyra Grove Krause told TV2 News.

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Temporary respite
However, as the WHO also stated this week, Krause underlined that prospective herd immunity would only be temporary.

That’s because the infection and vaccination both provide only temporary immunity – particularly given that new variations of the virus can emerge in the future. 

“It means that the virus won’t disappear altogether,” said Krause.

“It could bring new waves once there are enough hosts in the population and the conditions for spreading infection are better, such as in the winter season.”