Epi Night School Extra: How Contagious Is It? A Real-World Guide to R-Naught

It's an important number, and I'm happy we're talking about it.

Let’s talk about R₀ (pronounced r-naught), the number that tells us how contagious a disease is. (It is also referred to as the basic reproductive number.) If you’ve ever wondered how COVID-19 stacks up against measles, the flu, or your friend’s unstoppable gossip, this guide will help. (Spoiler: measles is the drama queen of the disease world.)

For most…