![]() They never discovered what was killing them and what could be done about it. When the Black Death struck, people were completely helpless. Moreover, in contrast to previous eras, we now have all the scientific knowledge and technological tools necessary to overcome this plague. In contrast, COVID-19 is killing less than five per cent of those infected, and unless some dangerous mutation occurs, it is unlikely to kill more than one per cent of the population of any country. The 1918 influenza killed more than ten per cent of the entire population in some countries. The Black Death killed between a quarter and half of the affected populations. In the early 1980s, if you got AIDS – you died. As pandemics go, this is actually a mild one. The influenza epidemic of 1918-1919 was worse, the AIDS epidemic was probably worse, and pandemics in previous eras were certainly far worse. I am not sure it is the worst global health threat we have faced. ![]() How is this global health pandemic different from past health crises and what does it tell us? In an interview with the UNESCO Courier, Yuval Noah Harari, Israeli historian and author of Sapiens, Homo Deus, and 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, analyses what the consequences of the current coronavirus health crisis are likely to be, and underlines the need for greater international scientific co-operation and information-sharing between countries.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |