Should countries aim for elimination in the covid-19 pandemic?

Abstract

Elimination is possible and is the only way to prevent the biggest loss of life and economic harm in the long run, says Andrew Lee. But Simon Thornley, Arthur J Morris, and Gerhard Sundborn argue that the cost to quality of life years is too big a risk when “possible” is not the same as “achievable”

Covid-19 elimination: consider population level effects of vaccine

“…When these results are available, we will know better the answer to the question debated by Lee and colleagues 2…”

The covid-19 elimination debate needs correct data

“…Many of the arguments made by Thornley and colleagues against taking an elimination approach to covid-19 are misleading and incorrect1—in particular, their assertion that the infection fatality risk (IFR) for covid-19 is “similar to that for seasonal flu.”…”

Achieving zero covid is not easy, but the alternative is far worse

“…Thornley and colleagues confuse eradication, permanent reduction to zero of the worldwide incidence of infection, with the reduction to zero of infection in a defined geographical area 12. New Zealand, and other countries, has shown that elimination of SARS-CoV-2 transmission can be achieved for periods of time, even though the virus might occasionally be imported either in infected individuals or on fomites, as seems likely to have been the case in Auckland.…”