How the pandemic is changing us
As of early May 2020, close to 250,000 people have died from COVID-19 worldwide. It’s a staggering number and a global tragedy unlike any in our lifetimes. But as history reminds us, this isn’t our first – nor even our most deadly – fight with an infectious disease.
A century ago, a flu epidemic swept the globe, killing as many as 50 million people. It changed the way many nations view health care, and thanks to new understanding of viruses and immunity, medicine was transformed.
It also revealed xenophobia. The term “Spanish flu” was a misnomer, but the name meant many could shift blame to the ambiguous other.
“Epidemics highlight the fault lines in our society,” said history professor Elizabeth Fenn. “They reveal our weaknesses, but they also illuminate the profound kindness, generosity and cooperation we are capable of. We have a lot to learn from them.”
Create a More Connected Minnesota
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How are we changing because of the COVID-19 pandemic? What are the stories you are already telling your family and friends? Tuesday on MPR News with Kerri Miller, we spoke with an anthropologist and a historian.
Guests:
Jose Santos, anthropologist at Metro State University
Elizabeth Fenn, history professor at University of Colorado Boulder and author of “Pox Americana: The Great Smallpox Epidemic of 1775-82”
To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above.
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