text: Explaining Benefits of Herd Immunity Raises Willingness to Get Flu Shot - School of Public Health - University of Minnesota
  Explaining Benefits of Herd Immunity Raises Willingness to Get Flu Shot
  Two people test their knowledge about herd immunity and influenza vaccination at the 2016 Minnesota State Fair.
  School of Public Health graduate Jacqueline Logan (MPH '17) and Assistant Professor Nicole Basta led a study to investigate if people consider the benefits to their community, such as herd immunity, when deciding whether or not to get a flu shot. The study also assessed if teaching people about these community benefits would increase their willingness to get vaccinated and if they had an accurate estimate of the vaccination coverage levels in their home county.
  "We found that by educating people with very basic information about the important community benefits of vaccination, we could significantly improve their plans to get the flu shot," says Basta. "This increase was especially high among those who knew nothing about how vaccination benefits the community."
  "It is important that everyone is aware of how their own decision to get the flu vaccine has an impact on others," says Basta. "Getting vaccinated provides protection to the individual, of course, but an individual's decision also contributes to protecting communities and even those who cannot be vaccinated. Those not planning to get the flu vaccine this year should consider how their decision will affect their community as they will be missing an opportunity to help prevent outbreaks and protect everyone."