To make a fair comparison later on, we should start by looking at the ‘negative control’ situation, or the scenario where nothing is done to stop the spread. The topic of exponential growth became a viral discussion when the pandemic started. Not only does the number of infected people increase, but also the speed at which people are contaminated goes up.
In these examples, white circles represent those not yet affected, while red circles represent individuals that have been infected, making them contagious.