You mention the possibility of eradicating the disease. Is that possible when it seems likely to have been transmitted from animals? We’re not going to be able to eliminate it among wild animals and we’re not going to vaccinate every human in earth. Right?
Is there some technical definition of “eradication” that addresses this?
This is a great question! There is definitely a problem eradicating viruses that pass relatively freely between humans and an animal reservoir; we see this problem with viruses like influenza A, where no matter how many humans we vaccinate, the virus survives in many animals that we coexist with. However, for SARS-CoV-2, I don't think that the virus jumps very readily from animals to humans. When we have seen viruses in this species jump into humans, it has been as a result of significant modifications involving potential intermediate hosts, and the viruses have become "human" viruses on some level. So I think it's possible for us to eradicate this particular strain to where it is no longer circulating in humans and unlikely to return. A new strain or new related virus might appear in the future, though--in fact I would count on that happening. We will need to be prepared.
You mention the possibility of eradicating the disease. Is that possible when it seems likely to have been transmitted from animals? We’re not going to be able to eliminate it among wild animals and we’re not going to vaccinate every human in earth. Right?
Is there some technical definition of “eradication” that addresses this?
This is a great question! There is definitely a problem eradicating viruses that pass relatively freely between humans and an animal reservoir; we see this problem with viruses like influenza A, where no matter how many humans we vaccinate, the virus survives in many animals that we coexist with. However, for SARS-CoV-2, I don't think that the virus jumps very readily from animals to humans. When we have seen viruses in this species jump into humans, it has been as a result of significant modifications involving potential intermediate hosts, and the viruses have become "human" viruses on some level. So I think it's possible for us to eradicate this particular strain to where it is no longer circulating in humans and unlikely to return. A new strain or new related virus might appear in the future, though--in fact I would count on that happening. We will need to be prepared.