flag strategy
n.— «Another method, called the “flag strategy,” allowed employees to get their inoculation at the time of their choosing—but only when the line had fewer than a set number of people. With a queue maximum of five, this method resulted in a wait of more than four and a half minutes; with a queue maximum of three, it resulted in a wait of nearly three minutes. One major disadvantage was the many return trips necessitated when the line maximum was met.» —“Computer Model Maps Efficient Inoculation Of Hospital Staff In Pandemic Outbreak” in Weill Cornell Medical College Science Daily May 21, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Mary Beth in Greenville, South Carolina, wonders: Why do we say four-oh-nine for the number 409 instead of four-zero-nine or four-aught-nine? What are the rules for saying either zero or oh or aught or ought to indicate that arithmetical symbol...
Astronauts returning from space say they experience what’s called the overview effect, a new understanding of the fragility of our planet and our need to reflect on what humans all share as a species. A book about the end of the universe...