Eliminating COVID is a false hope, but 'aggressive suppression' is working | Dr Nick Coatsworth
The current Victorian COVID-19 outbreak has seen renewed calls for Australia to pursue a coronavirus “elimination” strategy. This is surprising. It’s unrealistic – and it’s dangerous. The inference is that if Victoria had eliminated community transmission, this second outbreak would not have occurred – something which is patently false.
If we take the accepted public health terminology, that we reduce to zero the number of infections in Australia and target deliberate public health interventions to prevent re-establishing community transmission, that sounds very similar to what we have achieved in most parts of Australia.
Local elimination is wonderful when it occurs, and it allows significant relaxation of distancing measures.It should not, however, lead to a complete relaxation of basic principles to combat the virus. Physical distancing, recording of contact details in venues and practising good hygiene are a way of life now. Had full relaxation occurred in Victoria in recent weeks, this latest imported outbreak would certainly have been even more significant.
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