As SARS-CoV-2 has swept the planet, intermittent “lockdowns” have become a regular feature to control transmission. References to so-called recurring “waves” of infections remain pervasive among news headlines, political messaging, and public health sources. Here, we consider the power of analogies as a tool for facilitating effective understanding of biological processes by reviewing the successes and limitations of various analogies in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also consider how, when analogies fall short, their ability to persuade can mislead public opinion and behaviour, even if unintentionally. While waves can be effective in conveying patterns of disease outbreak retrospectively, we suggest that process-based analogies might be more effective communication tools, given that they are easily mapped to underlying epidemiological concepts and can be extended to include more complex (e.g., spatial) dynamics. Though no single analogy perfectly captures disease dynamics, fire is particularly suitable for visualizing the epidemiological models that are used to understand disease trajectories, underscoring the importance of and reasoning behind control strategies, and, above all, conveying a sense of urgency to galvanise collective action.