Since the first case of coronavirus was found, new cases have begun to come up at an exponential rate. Graphs of the spread show a sharp turn upward, and community members everywhere are growing increasingly concerned.
According to the Washington Post, if the curve continues at the rate it's going, there would be 100 million cases of the virus in the United States by May. As people recover, the spreading of cases declines.
Luckily, there are other ways to slow an outbreak. Health officials encourage people to avoid public gatherings, and stay home more, a method they're referring to as "social distancing." While it's impossible to completely isolate the disease, it's possible to give it less opportunities to spread.
Drew Harris, a population health researcher and assistant professor at The Thomas Jefferson University College of Public Health says, "We control the desire to be in public spaces by closing down public spaces. Italy is closing all of its restaurants. China is closing everything, and we are closing things now, too. Reducing the opportunities for gathering helps folks social distance."
Moderate social distancing will usually help matters more than attempting to quarantine the illness, the Washington Post reports.