Faith Regional Health Services | living WELL | Spring 2021

FRHS.ORG 5 It only works if we all do our part: When no one or just a few people are vaccinated , the coronavirus spreads easily and makes a lot of people sick. When enough people are vaccinated , it’s difficult for the virus to spread and fewer people get sick. Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services How does herd immunity work? Herd immunity helps protect those who can’t get vaccinated yet, such as: Keep distancing. Mask up. Get vaccinated. Young children People with severe vaccine allergies they’re any less safe than other vaccines that have cleared the clinical trial process. On the other hand, the dangers of getting COVID-19 are very real. 3 more reasons to roll up your sleeve Besides reducing your own risk of getting COVID-19, there are other reasons to get a vaccine now. For starters, you’ ll be helping to: 1 Bring an end to the pandemic. When enough people are immunized against COVID-19, the virus will be less able to spread around. That’s called herd immunity. We don’t know the exact percentage needed. But a large portion of people will need to be vaccinated to reach herd immunity, the World Health Organization says. 2 Protect the health care system. You’ve heard about the strain COVID-19 has placed on hospitals. When infections surge or if nurses and doctors get sick, they may have less capacity to care for the very ill. Staying healthy helps ensure that care will be avail- able for those who need it. 3 Safeguard those around you. Getting your shots as soon as you can may make it less likely that you will spread COVID-19 to your inner circle. This could include your loved ones who may not be able to get the vaccine yet. It’s worth doing—for yourself and your community. Get your COVID-19 vaccine. Visit frhs.org for opportunities to get vaccinated and more information.