Defining covid-19 elimination
D C Skegg, Philip C. Hill
Abstract
Speaking about progress towards ending the covid-19 epidemic in the United States, Anthony Fauci said: "We will end the epidemic phase, and we will likely get somewhere between control and elimination, more likely closer to control." 1 Now authorities in England are abandoning most efforts to control, let alone eliminate, the infection. 2Throughout the pandemic, the word "elimination" has been used in different senses.Many confuse elimination with eradication, which normally means permanent reduction to zero of the worldwide incidence of an infection-as was achieved for smallpox. 3This confusion helps to make the idea of eliminating covid-19 seem impossible and not worth pursuing.Elimination is variously defined but stops short of permanent eradication of infection.