Know R0
If it’s <1, the virus disappears.
>1, it continues to spread.
The greater than 1, the greater it spreads.
R0 for SARS-Cov-2 is abt 3.

Precautions such as masks, esstl activities DECREASE R0.
Not herd immunity.

Got it?
Good. https://53eig.ht/3fHNBwU 

R0 is the # of people an infected person infects.
So, if it’s less than 1, the virus eventually “ dies” out.

It’s abt 3 for Covid meaning each infected person, with or without symptoms, will infect 3 others. 9 more get infected fr those 3. And so on.

Taking precautions ...

will reduce the # each infected person infects
REDUCING R0.

So, the goal is to reduce R0.

With no vaccine, our alternative is to wear masks, social distance, essential activities only — you know the rest of the list.

Now, the 10x more mutant strain, G614, is more prevalent.
Think abt

1) the specificity of COVID-19 tests

2) the specificity of antibody tests

Do the current tests detect the mutant?

3) the specificity of the vaccines in clinical trials.

->Duration of this pandemic.

Citation for the SARS-CoV-2 mutant virus strain (causes COVID-19) at almost 100% in Houston area.

Molecular Architecture of Early Dissemination and Massive Second Wave of the SARS-CoV-2 Virus in a Major Metropolitan Area
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.22.20199125v3.full.pdf