[Reason077]

> ”it would essentially dash any hopes of eliminating or eradicating the virus in the U.S. — and therefore in the world”

Surely there’s no realistic hope of that anyway. It’s long been assumed than SARS-CoV-2 will become endemic in humans, just like existing human Coronaviruses.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41577-020-00493-9

[bluGill]

Rubella was endemic for years, but is now eliminated in most counties. With vaccines endemic is a step to elimination in some cases.

[Reason077]

Yes, Smallpox and Polio would be other examples of successful eradication programs (the later hasn’t been entirely eliminated in the wild, but it does seem like it’s within reach)

But those are very different viruses to SARS-CoV-2. Even if we could achieve 100% vaccination coverage, it’s likely that the virus would still circulate because our immunity is not 100% effective at preventing infection and shedding.

[nikbackm]

Seems the rubella vaccines have greater efficacy and gives much longer protection (life-long) than the current COVID vaccines though.

[pvaldes]

They had a decade to develop and much more to improve. Nothing prevent us to improve this also.

[wk_end]

There may be hard biological limits to what our vaccines can do. It's certainly possible that vaccines might come along that could let us eradicate SARS-CoV-2; but until they do, that's nothing but wishful thinking.