For the many people wondering whether aggressive action to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus is worth the cost or the hassle or the loss of intimacy, this graphic captures the big public health issue:
If the infection spreads quickly in a jurisdiction, the rush of cases will exceed the capacity of hospitals and other health care providers. Not only will those patients not get the care that they need, but other patients who need care for acute conditions may suffer or die because they are crowded out.
If we flatten the curve, not only do we reduce the risk of crowding out, but we buy time to build capacity — say, by installing more ventilators — and get to a vaccine.
So flatten the curve. An infection delayed can be a life saved.
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