Why outbreaks like coronavirus spread exponentially, and how to “flatten the curve” - Washington Post
►https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/corona-simulator
This so-called exponential curveexponential curve has experts worried. If the has experts worried. If thenumber of cases were to continue to double every three days, therenumber of cases were to continue to double every three days, therewould be about a hundred million cases in the United States bywould be about a hundred million cases in the United States byMay.May.That is math, not prophecy. The spread can be slowed, publicThat is math, not prophecy. The spread can be slowed, publichealth professionals say, if people practice “health professionals say, if people practice “social distancingsocial distancing” by” byavoiding public spaces and generally limiting their movement.avoiding public spaces and generally limiting their movement.Still, without any measures to slow it down, covid-19 will continueStill, without any measures to slow it down, covid-19 will continueto spread exponentially for months. To understand why, it isto spread exponentially for months. To understand why, it isinstructive to simulate the spread of a fake disease through ainstructive to simulate the spread of a fake disease through apopulation.population.We will call our fake disease simulitis. It spreads even more easilyWe will call our fake disease simulitis. It spreads even more easilythan covid-19: whenever a than covid-19: whenever a healthy personhealthy person comes into contact comes into contactwith a with a sick personsick person, the healthy person becomes sick, too., the healthy person becomes sick, too.