3 ms·
Thing is, there's a big difference between eradicated and almost eradicated / controlled - it's that when for whatever reasons the control measures break down (
by PeterisP 7y ago
Thing is, there's a big difference between eradicated and almost eradicated / controlled - it's that when for whatever reasons the control measures break down (e.g. civil war or natural catastrophes) then whatever is almost eradicated will come back with a vengeance (especially if a generation has passed and e.g. people aren't vaccinated anymore if vaccines apply), but whatever has been actually eradicated won't.
There's also an ongoing health cost - for example, if vaccines apply (not in this particular case but in others) then if it's controlled by herd immunity, then you have to keep vaccinating and suffer any risks and sideeffects while doing so - but if it's eradicated, then you can stop doing so and there's some health benefit in being able to skip unneeded vaccines.
- kjs3 7y agoThere is also the not-insignificant cost of simply rebuilding the specialized health care infrastructure to manage the new outbreak. Particularly difficult if the area of concern is already challenged by remoteness, poverty, conflict, etc. See: resurgence of polio.