Chances of eliminating Covid from UK or around the world ‘close to zero’ says Chris Whitty

Goal of eradicating virus in one country ‘makes no sense’ in globalised world, says Boris Johnson

The chances of eradicating Covid-19 in the UK or around the world are “as close to zero as makes no difference”, chief medical officer Chris Whitty has said.

And prime minister Boris Johnson said he did not believe that, in a globalised world, the goal of eliminating the virus in a single country “makes sense”.

Speaking at a 10 Downing Street press conference, Prof Whitty said that only one disease - smallpox - has ever been successfully eradicated from Earth and that Covid-19 was unlikely to be any different, meaning it will remain a threat for the foreseeable future.

Prof Whitty said: “I regret to say that I think the chances of eradicating this disease - which means getting rid of it absolutely everywhere - are as close to zero as makes no difference.

“We have only achieved eradication of one disease which is smallpox, with a phenomenally effective vaccine over a very, very long period of time, literally hundreds of years. 

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“In terms of eliminating from the UK, this is a disease which has got, for most people who have it, mild symptoms or in some cases no symptoms. That makes it very difficult to find.

“Everyone agrees we can get Covid rates right down. That should be absolutely our aim, to get cases of people who die and have severe disease as close to zero as we can. 

“If we can go further, who would say no? But I think if you talk to anybody who looks at this really seriously, who understands how infectious diseases work, I don’t think there’s anybody who thinks eliminating from the UK or eradicating globally for any long period of time is a realistic prospect at this point in time.”

Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance agreed: “Don’t expect that this is going to disappear. Expect that there will be recurrences of infections, particularly in winter, and this will become a circulating virus, as others have done over thousands of years.

“Unfortunately, the chances of eradication, true eradication - ie zero - are in themselves very close to zero.”