Final answer:
Flattening the curve is essential to avoid overwhelming healthcare systems, allowing more people to receive adequate care, reducing the percent of deaths, and buying time for vaccine and treatment development. A flattened curve can also prevent panic-driven events in response to resource depletion.
Step-by-step explanation:
Flattening the curve is a public health strategy used during pandemics, such as the COVID-19 outbreak. The 'curve' refers to the projected number of people who will contract the virus over a period of time. The peak number is the highest point on the curve, indicating the maximum number of cases occurring at the same time. Flattening the curve by reducing the peak number through measures like social distancing is crucial because it helps to prevent healthcare systems from becoming overwhelmed.
When too many people are sick at the same time, hospitals and healthcare providers may not have enough resources, such as hospital beds, ventilators, and medical staff, to treat everyone effectively. This could lead to a higher rate of fatalities and preventable deaths. By reducing the peak number, more people have access to the care they need, which can lower the percent of deaths. Furthermore, spreading out the number of cases over a longer period allows more time for vaccine development and better therapeutic treatments to become available.
Considering the various scenarios involving finite resources like fossil fuels, it's evident that a peak can occur when a resource is halfway depleted, leading to a symmetric usage curve. In health care, flattening the curve ensures the resource—medical care—is not depleted, avoiding panic-driven events and establishing a foundation for a post-pandemic world.