History of Pandemics

History records pandemics as early as 430 B.C. in Athens. From then on there have been pandemics regularly. We have had the Plague of Cyprian in 290 A.D., then the Black Death in 1346. The pandemics kept coming; The Russian Plague, the Philadelphia Yellow Fever Epidemic, The Flu Pandemic, and the Spanish Flu right up to more recent years. Figuring this out it comes to a pandemic every hundred years and we can expect another pandemic about that time. Scientists are looking at these pandemics for clues on how to handle them. What should we do and is there any help?

Benjamin Cory Harow is a doctor specializing in emergency care, presently living and working in Florida. He has a family and children now, a family of which he is proud and wishes to protect. His work with the pandemic helped him protect his clients, but more importantly, his family.

It took him about sixteen years to become a doctor from beginning college right through residency and he graduated at the top of his class. Recognized as a top doctor in the emergency medical area he is often interviewed and asked his thoughts about medical problems and it has been so on covid 19. He asks that people try to keep panic at bay. Keep calm and seek advice from a professional. Do not wait too long to ask for help.

He feels these pandemics can be controlled by several behaviors. When normal work begins again he believes we should continue the behavior instilled now. We should continue standing six feet apart because that is how far the virus can normally travel and live. He does explain that it takes more than a short exposure except if you do something like shaking or touching someone’s hands or touching something personal like their cell phone which holds a lot of virus germs.

He advocates wearing a mask to contain the germs. Put some corn starch on a hand and then see how many marks it leaves and it will give an idea of how many germs can be carried and how they can be transferred. It is amazing how many marks the hands leave. Hands need to be washed for a good twenty seconds and washed frequently. Next, disinfect items and surfaces that have been touched. Keep things extra clean.

One result of these practices is that the flu has been cut radically. Hospitals that are usually full of flu patients are not finding that happening this year, and deaths from the flu are way down, a sign that the flu, too, is spread from person to person in the same manner. Doctor Harow explains that the flu is not nearly as dangerous as the pandemic.

It is important for each person to take care of their mental health. We worry about our physical self but need to take time for us, a quiet time and we need to be sure we cook and serve good meals for our families.

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