Herd immunity is the idea that if enough people become immune to a virus, via vaccination or natural immunity, the immune population can protect people who do not have immunity. For example, the majority of US born children are vaccinated against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) by the age of two.

This level of vaccination provides protection to the population as a whole—even to those who aren’t vaccinated—by decreasing viral circulation and the chance someone who is unvaccinated will encounter the virus. If a person with measles were to come to the U.S., for example, nine out of every 10 people that person could infect would be immune, making it very hard for measles to spread in the population.

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When people think of mosquito-spread diseases, they normally think about the Zika virus, malaria, and West Nile virus. One mosquito-borne disease less talked about is the Chikungunya virus. Although it may not be as well-known in certain parts of the world, it does impact certain continents including Africa, India, and Asia. And as recently as 2015 certain areas of the Americas experienced an outbreak of the virus.

Let’s take a closer look at the Chikungunya virus — what it is, how it affects the body, and what treatment and prevention are available for travelers.

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The MMR vaccine was introduced in the United States in 1971. It helps prevent measles, mumps, and rubella (German measles). All three of these diseases can lead to serious health complications, and in rare cases, they can even cause death. Everyone must receive the vaccine at some point in their life. Discover how impactful the MMR vaccine is and whether you can take it with other vaccines.

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When scientists developed the mumps vaccine in 1967, cases of the disease plummeted by over 99%. However, mumps cases do still occur and have been on the rise since 2006, mostly among college students.

Now a new study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found from 2007 to 2019, one-third of reported mumps cases in the United States occurred in children and teens, most of whom had been vaccinated.

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The chickenpox (varicella) vaccine is an important vaccination to get, in order to prevent chickenpox in your children. The vaccine is now a standard component of all childhood vaccination series. While it is a virus, it is rarely dangerous. It is just extremely unpleasant, comprised of an itchy rash that affects mainly the face and torso, but can also be found on the head, arms and scalp. A few other symptoms include fatigue and general irritability. With treatment, it goes away in around seven to ten days.

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