The author contends, as usual without and basis in fact:
The medieval way, inherited from the era
of the Black Death, is brutal: Close the borders, quarantine the ships,
pen terrified citizens up inside their poisoned cities. For
the first time in more than a century, the world has chosen to confront
a new and terrifying virus with the iron fist instead of the latex
glove.
Nice turn of phrase but totally wrong. Just think of Boccaccio and his ten friends. They scooted out of Florence and traded war stories of a sort until the death stopped. Another contribution to Italian literature.
Yersinia pestis is the problem and the vector was dirty bodies. You see bathing and clean clothes were not de regur.
But alas, borders were not closed, cities were not locked down, and that is how the plague spread. Prague and King Charles managed to stay somewhat out of the fray since ships could not reach them and infected individuals usually died along the way.
Then this writer, who as most Times folks appears to have no handle on history or the facts in my opinion, states:
The White House, in defiance of recent American history, also opted to
go medieval by aggressive measures like barring entry to non-Americans
who were recently in China and advising Americans not to go to China or
South Korea.
Most likely this act did stop the transmission a bit. This was not defiance it was a prudent act. I shudder to think of what would have happened otherwise. Somehow folks seem to make this a political football, especially those who in my opinion and based upon what I assert are the facts seem to be clueless!
Posts
