Pandemic Generation Discussion
We are in the midst of one of the most widespread pandemics in recent history. It’s not the first in this century and it certainly won’t be the last. Pandemics came about as humans increasingly engaged in war and trade with other nations; the first pandemic of record happened in Athens during the Peloponnesian War. In this discussion, you’ll research pandemics across the ages and discover their differences, similarities, and how they have changed over time.
Instructions
A. Initial post: Minimum 200 words
Pandemics have occurred throughout time, location and societies. Research at least 2 pandemics (DO NOT INCLUDE SARS-CoV-2) that have occurred and provide the time frame, location of start, microorganism responsible and treatments/interventions that were developed to combat these pandemics.
Sample Solution
The first pandemic of note is the Black Death, which took place in Europe from 1346-1353. While it is widely debated as to where the disease originated, it is believed to have started in China and spread across Asia and Europe via trading routes (Herzog et al., 2014). The microorganism responsible for this plague was Yersinia pestis, a bacterium carried by fleas living on rats that caused typhus-like symptoms such as fever, chills and vomiting (Herzog et al., 2015). Treatments at the time were scarce with many opting for practices like bloodletting which ultimately made matters worse.
Another pandemic which has had lasting impacts was the Spanish Flu of 1918. Originating in Etaples, France among army barracks near England’s border during WWI, this influenza virus quickly spread around the globe infecting an estimated 500 million people within just two years (Morens & Fauci., 2008). The most common treatments used during this time involved taking aspirin or quinine along with restorative tonics meant to boost one’s immune system (Morens & Fauci., 2009). It wasn’t until 1927 that scientists had developed a vaccine for influenza though even then it was not very effective due to its lack of antigenic diversity (Morens & Fauci., 2010).
Overall then, both these pandemics demonstrate the difficulties that accompany treating global health crises without modern scientific knowledge or medical advancements. In spite of limited resources available historically, however, individuals still managed to come up with innovative solutions – whether they be homemade remedies or public health initiatives – demonstrating our resilience throughout difficult times.
