--- /dev/null
+<h1>Welcome to the Rnaught web application!</h1>
+<p>
+ Rnaught is an R package and web application for estimating the
+ <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_reproduction_number" target="_blank">basic reproduction number</a>
+ of infectious diseases. For information about using this application, view the
+ <span class="fw-bold text-primary">Help <span class="glyphicon glyphicon-question-sign"></span></span> tab.
+ To learn more about the package, visit the online
+ <a href="https://MI2YorkU.github.io/Rnaught" target="_blank">documentation</a> or
+ <a href="https://github.com/MI2YorkU/Rnaught" target="_blank">GitHub</a> repository.
+ Technical details about the estimators featured in this project can be found in the reference
+ <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269306" target="_blank">article</a>.
+</p>
+
+<h4>What is the basic reproduction number?</h4>
+<p>
+ The basic reproduction number, denoted <em>R<sub>0</sub></em>, describes the expected number of infections caused by a
+ single infectious individual. It assumes that all individuals in a given population are susceptible to the disease,
+ and that no preventive measures (such as lockdowns or vaccinations) have been enforced. As such, it is a useful
+ indicator of the transmissibility of a disease during the early stages of its detection.
+</p>
+<p>
+ If <em>R<sub>0</sub></em> < 1, then the disease will eventually die out. On the other hand, if
+ <em>R<sub>0</sub></em> > 1, the rate at which the disease spreads is exponential. Typically, it is difficult to
+ determine <em>R<sub>0</sub></em> precisely, due to uncertainty in information relating to the spread of the disease.
+ Therefore, many estimation methods exist, each based on their own models and yielding different estimates. It is the
+ responsibility of public health officials to employ the most appropriate estimator given the situation at hand.
+</p>
git.nmode.ca / Rnaught / blobdiff
