John in NM
There is potential for herd immunity with COVID - that is the whole point of vaccination. Herd immunity is achieved when a large enough percentage of the population has either had the disease and recovered or been vaccinated.

The problem with herd immunity discussions is that people usually gloss over the caveats - and those caveats are huge in my opinion. First, no one agrees on the percentage, I've heard a very wide variation of numbers quoted and I think it is influenced by outlook and opinion more than knowledge. Second, the concept of herd immunity is complicated by mutations and antibody persistence, most people overlook this. Only time will tell on the second point.

I wouldn't be the least surprised if we have to get yearly COVID shots, but we won't know whether vaccine efficacy with mutant strains will prevent that for several years yet. For the present I think it is well worth trying to get as many people as possible vaccinated, then see how things play out. There is no stamping this out, because like the flu it affects animal populations as well - vaccination works better with diseases like polio because they only affect humans.

Natural (non-vaccination) herd immunity is theoretically possible. Its just far too ruthless a course for civilized people to stick to.