3 ms·

Both the headline and the article imply that eradication is possible. Being "on the brink" even makes it sound inevitable. But eradicating the virus probably is

Both the headline and the article imply that eradication is possible. Being "on the brink" even makes it sound inevitable. But eradicating the virus probably isn't possible and I think it's important for people who only read headlines and comments to understand that and why it's the case.

JumpCrisscross 3y ago
> eradicating the virus probably isn't possible Every domains expert disagrees. That most people get the non-sterilizing IPV is not a secret. Switching from the sterilizing, but virus-producing OPV to the non-sterilizing, but non-spreading (and more expensive) IPV is a well-run playbook. Yes, it means when an unvaccinated nutter from Brooklyn gets polio in Europe [1] that it spreads--inefficiently and without further consequence--through the vaccinated population. But those are edge cases which are diminishing in frequency as we switch from OPV to IPV on the periphery. First we eradicate the wild type. Then we eradicate the weaker vaccine-derived virus. It's a simple, precedented and achievable playbook. All we have to do is keep vaccinating (and keep our poop water away from our drinking water). [1] https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/21/health/new-york-polio/index.html https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/21/health/new-york-polio/index.h...