It appears to have worked for New Zealand, though notably, not anywhere else, even Australia.
So you can argue that it was infeasible, and I would have to agree with you. But you can't argue it was impossible.
So you can argue that it was infeasible, and I would have to agree with you. But you can't argue it was impossible.
But, if you want to know what draconian policy really is, you can look at NZ. That place is no joke. It's state-managed isolation or a quarantine facility for at least 14 days and until you test negative.
There are a bunch of reports of people breaking out of these facilities after having been there for more than a month. Just zero chance this would work in America.
Nobody has been in those places for more than a month, its 2 weeks.
The 'escapees' so far have been an alcoholic (went to the nearest bottle store) and a couple of people with mental issues.
The REASON those people escaped is because the places aren't prisons, or even close. They were hotels, high quality hotels in some places...with no police presence at all...
There was a bunch of fuss made by the public because it was eventually realised that people were being allowed out without testing to attend funerals under a compassionate exemption.
Your description makes it sound like something very different to the reality.
Its toughening up a little now, because everyone in NZ wanted them to toughen up, but for a long while the reality was that all you had to do to leave was decide that you wanted to leave.
Most people didn't, of course, because most people aren't dicks.
But Australia is also an island, in the relevant sense for this discussion, and didn't succeed in eradication.
Hawaii also had considerable success, albeit recently undermined. Much to my chagrin, since I live here.
My conclusion is that eradicating this virus is very difficult, even with all the advantages.
But again, not impossible.
This is evidence that the lockdown rules were having a significant effect on suppression, and eradication may have been within reach had the easing been delayed another month or two.
If no, then being an island isn’t really relevant here.