Contact rate is a direct factor in calculating R0, the average number of secondary infections produced by one infected individual in a fully susceptible population. R0 is determined by the formula: \[ R0 = \text{Contact Rate} \times \text{Probability of Transmission per Contact} \times \text{Duration of Infectiousness} \] Thus, a higher contact rate can lead to a higher R0, indicating a more rapidly spreading infection.
