Coronavirus News: The Term ‘Flatten The Curve’ Explained
What it is and why it matters right now
Ever since COVID-19 has been termed as the coronavirus pandemic by the WHO, people have been glued to their television and watching the news on the go. One term that has been frequently used concerning the coronavirus is ‘flatten the curve’. Here’s what it means, how it will help, and how you can contribute.
What it Means?
In simple terms, flattening the curve means limiting the social contact so that people who are infected with coronavirus don’t spread it to others. It is one of the smartest strategies you can adopt when you want to prepare for coronavirus and avoid it.
According to Professor Brendan Murphy, Australia’s Chief Medical Officer, flatten the curve means limiting contact with others so that we can slow the spread of the virus. It will help in preventing the health systems from overloading with people who have symptoms of COVID-19.
Professor Murphy said “I want to say that this is a pre-emptive move to get ahead of the curve. Social distancing can be difficult for the community, we understand that, and we understand that the community is with us on the need to try and slow the spread of this virus in our community.”
The curve means the total number of cases the health system can handle. If we limit contact with others, the exposure will also drop, and it will mean a flatter curve of total cases that are detected over time. If we don’t flatten the curve, it will potentially smash the healthcare system. As of yesterday, Australia has 249 cases of coronavirus. So, it’s time we flatten the curve.
What to Do?
If you want to flatten the curve, here are a few things you can do:
- Limit your contact with other people and skip social gatherings for a while.
- If you can, work from home instead of going to the office daily,
- Do not attend events that have large public gatherings like sports events or music festivals.
- Limit your visits to grocery stores and other areas where multiple people are present most of the times.
- Make sure you isolate yourself if you are diagnosed with coronavirus and still want to flatten the curve. Call on Australian Government’s National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080.
Maybe it would be better for all if we decrease the maximum limit of 500 for gatherings so we could execute this more effectively. It actually would not hurt, actually.
Also, check these interesting social media posts to understand the situation better.
Health experts are shouting that the most important goal right now is to “flatten the curve,” to prevent a surge in patients all at once that overloads the system, as we’re seeing in Italy, because we don’t have the capacity. pic.twitter.com/X1SR1vFU59
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) March 12, 2020
South Korea's success at battling back #Covid19 is extraordinary. Only 76 cases on March 14.
Look at this curve. Amazing.
Don't focus on the blue line. Look at the green bars. pic.twitter.com/ScHzIyN7IH— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) March 15, 2020
