flattening the curve
Reducing peak infections
Flattening the curve refers to slowing the spread of an infectious disease so that cases are distributed over a longer period rather than spiking sharply.
The phrase gained widespread use during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, when public health officials urged social distancing to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed: We need to flatten the curve to keep ICUs from running out of beds.
The "curve" is an epidemiological graph showing cases over time.
- social distancingDeliberate interpersonal spacing
- stay homeNot go anywhere
- mask mandatesRequired public face coverings
- lockdownsEnforced public restrictions
- quarantineIsolation preventing disease transmission
exponential growth · travel restrictions · isolation · vaccination campaigns · incubation period · contact tracing · case fatality rate · testing protocols · two weeks · herd immunity · handwashing · resource allocation · essential workers · prevalence · wash your hands · incidence · public awareness campaigns · surge
flattening the curvelet it rip
eradication · elimination · zero COVID · stamping out · containment
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