R0

R₀, or the basic reproduction number, is a measure used in epidemiology to estimate how many people, on average, one infected person will pass a disease to in a totally susceptible population. If R₀ is greater than 1, the infection can spread widely; if it’s less than 1, the outbreak will likely decline and eventually stop. It helps public health officials understand the potential spread of a disease and determine necessary control measures. Values of R₀ depend on factors like how contagious the disease is, how people interact, and the environment.