R0 threshold

The R₀, or basic reproduction number, indicates how contagious an infectious disease is. It represents the average number of people that one infected person is expected to transmit the virus to in a completely susceptible population. If R₀ is greater than 1, the disease can spread and potentially cause an outbreak. If it is less than 1, the spread will likely slow down and eventually stop. Public health measures aim to reduce R₀ below 1 to control the disease’s spread. Ultimately, R₀ helps assess the potential severity of an outbreak and guides intervention strategies.