150 Weeks to Flatten the Curve?

In an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, many countries have implemented social distancing measures. These include closing schools and businesses, banning large gatherings, and limiting travel. Now, a new study suggests that it may take up to 150 weeks of these measures in order to flatten the curve. The study was conducted by researchers at Imperial College London and published in The Lancet medical journal. It found that if governments want to reduce the number of cases quickly, they need to impose stricter restrictions on movement for longer periods of time. The researchers suggest that this could be done by implementing a “circuit breaker” approach—a period of two weeks where all non-essential activities are stopped or severely restricted—every few months for up to 150 weeks. The research team acknowledges that such an approach would have a huge economic impact on countries around the world but argue that it is necessary in order to protect public health. They also point out that if governments don’t act now, then more drastic measures will be needed later on as cases continue to rise. The authors caution that their findings are based on mathematical models and not real-world data so further research is needed before any conclusions can be drawn about how long it will take for social distancing measures to flatten the curve. However, they believe their results provide valuable insight into how governments should respond in order to contain the virus effectively over time.