Remembering the phrase “flattening the curve“? It was a way to explain the purpose of implementing social distancing in the early 2020, during the initial stage of our encounter with the Covid-19.
This approach afforded society stability and scientific community time to develop the vaccines. So we have a fighting chance in dealing with this public health crisis. In the beginning, it worked fairly well.
We have multiple vaccines developed (albeit to various degrees of effectiveness). Each nation controls how tight to enforce the social distancing (also to a varying degrees of successes). But the Coronavirus seems to adapt faster than us.
The virus has evolved from the Delta to the current Omicron variant. What about us? The hospital beds are getting full once again. It is time to flatten the curve – slowdown the virus to the level so it becomes manageable like the influenza. But how?
The social distancing has run its course (same with the vaccination). Lockdown, the extreme form of social distancing, is not popular with the public nor does it help the economy. In other words, not sustainable.
What other options do we have in flattening the curve?