The Science History Institute Museum is closed for renovations.
The Othmer Library remains open by appointment.

The Washington Post: The Idea of Herd Immunity to Manage the Coronavirus Should Ring Alarm Bells

Institute fellow Rebecca Kaplan explains the concept’s origins in veterinary medicine.

October 30, 2020

“While herd immunity is the theory behind vaccine programs, the concept originated in veterinary medicine and livestock management in the late 19th and early 20th centuries,” says Rebecca Kaplan, a historian of medicine and public health who is the Institute’s current postdoctoral fellow in residence. “This matters because in this setting, economics rather than ethics served as a guiding force.”

Read more in The Washington Post >>

More News

Rose Chen headshot
news

Science History Institute Mourns Death of Board Committee Member Rose Chen

The multiculturalism advocate passed away on January 9, 2025, at the age of 75.

Black and white photo of girl with a cotton plant
news

‘Distillations’ Article on Arsenic Featured on Top 40 Favorite History Writing List

Bunk, the University of Richmond’s online history project, names Jayson Porter’s recent piece a best-of 2024.

headshot of a blond woman in a suit jacket
news

Celanese Corporation’s Lori Ryerkerk Named 2025 Petrochemical Heritage Award Honoree

The prestigious award will be presented by the Institute and the Founders Club on March 24, 2025, during AFPM’s International Petrochemical Conference in San Antonio.

    Republish

    Copy the above HTML to republish this content. We have formatted the material to follow our guidelines, which include our credit requirements. Please review our full list of guidelines for more information. By republishing this content, you agree to our republication requirements.