Ever since COVID-19 pandemic has begun, many have been hearing the phrase “Flattening the curve,” a strategy known worldwide as one of the goals of imposing lockdown due to the pandemic.

This plan aims to reduce the number of positive coronavirus cases found daily to prevent the failure of health care systems all over the world.

U.S.-based New England Complex Systems Institute through EndCoronavirus.org released information as to which countries are actually flattening the curve and which ones need to take action—our country, the Philippines, unfortunately, is part of the latter.

Visual representations are shown to determine which countries are winning and not.

COUNTRIES BEATING COVID-19

COUNTRIES THAT ARE NEARLY THERE

COUNTRIES THAT NEED TO TAKE ACTION

According to endcoronavirus.org, actions needed to be taken to win against COVID-19 include:

• acting quickly without having to wait for more data
• isolating away from home
• implementing stricter travel restrictions
• performing a massive amount of testing
• requiring face masks for all
• continuing the practice of social distancing
• being smart and patient as not to reopen very early

An epidemiologist serving in the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases,  Dr. John Wong, said on May 5 that "the curve has already flattened" in the country. "We already saw that 10 days ago, there was already an improvement in both cases and mortality," he added.  Wong also said that it's "difficult to predict when the peak will be and how many cases we’ll have at the peak." 

It's been 54 days to be exact since Metro Manila underwent the state of lockdown. The highest percentage of COVID-19 cases are in the country's capital region;  Has the Philippines flattened the COVID-19 curve already? Well, if we take a look at the graph, the number is still growing, in fact as of 4 pm today, we've reached 11,000 positive confirmed cases. Isn't it alarming?

What are your thoughts on this?