Would it be realistically possible to eliminate the common flu from the Earth, and would there be any kind of adverse consequences?

Question

Would it be realistically possible to eliminate the common flu from the Earth, and would there be any kind of adverse consequences?

In: Biology

Answer 1

With the current technology, no.

There’s always the possibility we will develop a different approach to immunity/eradication in the future which could eliminate it.

That said, there would be no negative impact from cold/flu going extinct. Unlike pest animals, there is nothing that feeds on viruses, so there would be no ecological impact.

There would be an uptick in human population, which some might consider a negative, but it isn’t inherently negative.