Flattening the curve

"Flattening the curve" refers to the public health strategy aimed at slowing the spread of a contagious disease, such as COVID-19, to prevent overwhelming healthcare systems. Instead of a sharp spike in infections that can lead to a surge of patients needing medical care at once, flattening the curve promotes measures like social distancing and vaccination to spread out infections over a longer period. This helps ensure that hospitals can manage the number of patients effectively, providing better care and reducing mortality rates, while also protecting vulnerable populations.