密歇根新闻广播 “flatten the curve” 是什么意思

You’ve probably been hearing the term “flatten¹ the curve” a lot these days. It's the idea that society can slow the rate of infection for contagious² diseases by taking measures like canceling schools, closing businesses, or sheltering in place. The hope is to reduce the number of patients who need urgent medical care all at once.

The term was actually coined by University of Michigan medical historian Dr. Howard Markel. We talked to him about how he came up with the phrase that’s now being used by people all over the world. Markel said that it all began while conducting research with the CDC regarding flu outbreaks in 2005.

Markel and his cohorts designed a study of the 1918-19 flu pandemic to compare cities that did flatten the curve - taking measures to reduce a spike³ (or tall curve) in infections and instead stretching them out over a longer (flatter) period of time - with those that didn't.

“And indeed the cities that we studied that did those things did far better than those that did not,” he says.

He says he wasn't suprised when the concept of flattening⁴ the curve reemerged during the COVID-19 pandemic because "it’s been a matter of not if there’s a pandemic, but when.”

Markel says he was both "gratified and horrified⁵" that these "socially and economically disruptive" measures would be employed.

“That said, I’ve spent 20 years studying them and I’m firmly convinced that they will help save lives.”

1 flatten   

v.把．．．弄平，使倒伏；使(漆等)失去光泽

参考例句：

• We can flatten out a piece of metal by hammering it.我们可以用锤子把一块金属敲平。
• The wrinkled silk will flatten out if you iron it.发皱的丝绸可以用熨斗烫平。

2 contagious   

adj.传染性的，有感染力的

参考例句：

• It's a highly contagious infection.这种病极易传染。
• He's got a contagious laugh.他的笑富有感染力。

3 spike   

n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效

参考例句：

• The spike pierced the receipts and held them in order.那个钉子穿过那些收据并使之按顺序排列。
• They'll do anything to spike the guns of the opposition.他们会使出各种手段来挫败对手。

4 flattening   

n. 修平 动词flatten的现在分词

参考例句：

• Flattening of the right atrial border is also seen in constrictive pericarditis. 右心房缘变平亦见于缩窄性心包炎。
• He busied his fingers with flattening the leaves of the book. 他手指忙着抚平书页。

5 horrified   

a.(表现出)恐惧的

参考例句：

• The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。
• We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。