Quote Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman View Post
I do understand the concept (at least to a degree), but I think it's something the scientists, medical experts and politicians should have kept to themselves rather than make a key factor in their public discussions about the pandemic. I don't think it's helped at all. Indeed, I think it's not only confused the issue but it may have even given some people a false sense of security.

If they had said at the outset that if you have this virus you are likely to infect at least three more people and simply left it at that, I think the public would have understood it and the message would have been far more effective. However, by talking about getting the 'R' number down, saying stuff like 'the R is now between 0.5 and 0.8,' and displaying graphics claiming that one infected person is now infecting just 0.6 others, they've served only to complicate the issue.
There has been a lot on line explaining this. As said earlier the virus naturally has an R of 3 or 4. One person, primarily through physical contact will pass it on to 3or4 people, and each of those would pass on and so it escalates.
Through reduction of possible host contacts via isolation the chance of passing on is reduced. Also someone in contact with a Covid patient who practices good hand hygiene etc is less likely to allow the virus to get a hold via nose, mouth etc

So following guidance reduces the chance of the virus being able to spread through contact, thus a reduction of R,
Less than R1 and overall less cases catching it than have it.

I think most people are happy with it as a key indicator of where we are, but it is often not included in daily briefings