Question

Imagine that a virus has an R 0of 9. What is the minimum percentage of the population that should be vaccinated in order to prevent the spread of this virus? Give your answer to one decimal point (e.g., 50.5). Include only your final answer, and do not enter anything else.

Answer 1

Approximately 88.9% of the population should be vaccinated to potentially achieve herd immunity for a virus with an R0 of 9.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the minimum percentage of the population that should be vaccinated to prevent the spread of a virus with an R0 of 9, we use the concept of herd immunity. Herd immunity occurs when a significant portion of a population becomes immune to an infectious disease, making the spread from person to person unlikely. The formula for calculating the herd immunity threshold (HIT) is given by: 1 - (1/R0).

Applying the formula:

HIT = 1 - (1/9) = 1 - 0.1111 = 0.8889

To find the minimum percentage, we multiply the result by 100:

88.89%

Therefore, approximately 88.9% percent of the population should be vaccinated to potentially achieve herd immunity for a virus with an R0 of 9.