This episode is shared from Mayo Clinic Q&A and was recorded March 18, 2020.

Guest: Clayton T. Cowl, M.D., M.S. (@ChestPresident) 

Host: Tom Shives, M.D. and Tracy McCray

In epidemiology, the idea of slowing a virus' spread so that fewer people need to seek treatment at any given time is known as "flattening the curve." It's a phrase you've likely heard in the news, and it is an important goal for governments and health care leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast Dr. Clayton Cowl, chair of Mayo Clinic's Division of Preventive, Occupational and Aerospace Medicine, explains how isolation can stop a spike in the number of new coronavirus cases. 

Connect with the Mayo Clinic’s School of Continuous Professional Development online at https://ce.mayo.edu/ or on Twitter @MayoMedEd.