Why is it important to "flatten the curve" by reducing the

Last updated: 7/30/2022

Why is it important to "flatten the curve" by reducing the peak number of infections during an epidemic? Flattening the curve hastens the arrival of herd immunity for the population. Flattening the curve reduces the likelihood of exceeding the health care system's capacity. Flattening the curve eliminates the need for community mitigation strategies like social distancing. Flattening the curve reduces the number of people who need to be vaccinated.