herd immunity

noun
the immunity that occurs when an entire group of animals or people become immune to a particular infection, as with universal vaccination.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

herd immunity n.

  1. Resistance to the spread of infectious disease in a group because susceptible members are few, making transmission from an infected member unlikely.

  2. The immunologic status of a population, determined by the ratio of resistant to susceptible members and their distribution.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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00:10
Herd immunity is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
Example sentences
Herd immunity works when enough of the herd is immunised.
Being vaccinated against a disease protects everyone else through herd immunity.
If herd immunity is the goal, then clearly we'd use this vaccine as much as
  possible.
Herd immunity is what helps out those who cannot be vaccinated or whose
  vaccination doesn't work, for whatever reason.
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