Santos Joost
George Washington University, Washington, DC USA.
Environ Syst Decis. 2020;40(2):185-188. doi: 10.1007/s10669-020-09774-z. Epub 2020 May 14.
The expression "flatten the curve" has gained significant attention in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The idea is to decrease and/or delay the peak of an epidemic wave so as not to strain or exceed the capacity of healthcare systems. There has been an increasing number of policy recommendations across the globe that favor the use of nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to flatten the curve. NPIs encompass containment, suppression, and mitigation measures such as quarantine, travel restrictions, and business closures. This paper provides perspectives on the impact of containment, suppression, and mitigation measures on interdependent workforce sectors. Reflections on the trade-offs between flattening the curve versus personal liberty and socioeconomic disparities are also presented in this paper.
“ flatten the curve”（曲线变平缓）这一表述在新冠疫情期间受到了广泛关注。其理念是降低和/或推迟疫情高峰，以免医疗系统不堪重负或超出其承受能力。全球范围内，越来越多的政策建议倾向于使用非药物干预措施（NPIs）来实现曲线变平缓。非药物干预措施包括隔离、旅行限制和企业关闭等遏制、抑制及缓解措施。本文探讨了遏制、抑制及缓解措施对相互依存的劳动力部门的影响。本文还对曲线变平缓与个人自由及社会经济差距之间的权衡进行了思考。
