Cardiologist Melanie Zammit Burg gives a very simple, yet effective explanation of what ‘flattening the curve’ means and how important it is in a new video.

With a vaccine still months away, there are two ways in which society can act in the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The first option is to do nothing and to keep going an as usual. This would lead to a rapid spread of the Coronavirus, which would mean a shorter pandemic. The downside is that the number of infected people would be well beyond the resources of our health system, which means that many people would not be given medical care.

The second system is the one adopted by the Maltese government and many others around the world – to slow down the spread of the virus so that the numbers are manageable and the health services can cope. This would ensure that all infected people are given medical care.

This can happen through social distancing, the closure of schools and public places, the shutting of borders and the implementation of voluntary and mandatory quarantine methods.