It is no exaggeration to say ‘flattening the curve’ has had a profound impact on how governments and the general public view public health and the provision of healthcare.

"Instead of optimizing the pandemic response for the best health outcomes, which also helps the economy long-term, the default position adopted by most governments established a new principle that the total amount of human suffering caused by disease is not important, only the immediate stress on healthcare systems. This principle continues to be dominant to this day."