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.