Judy Woodruff:

One term you're likely hearing a lot about to help deal with the coronavirus is what's known as flattening the curve.

Epidemiologists say, if not enough protective measures are taken, there'll be a sharply rising number of cases, as shown in this pale blue spike, a huge jump over a very short period of time. That would strain the capacity of our health system.

But flattening the curve, reflected by the lower gray swell, is achieved by taking strong measures, like physical and social distancing, to make sure the number of cases increases more gradually.

Dr. Asaf Bitton has been talking about this very issue. He's with Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. And he joins us now.

Dr. Bitton, between Washington and the states, are the American people now being given enough guidance to induce them to do the right thing?