COVID-19

For two years the COVID 19 pandemic has upended the world The physician and medical historian Jacalyn Duffin presents a global history of the virus with a focus on Canada Duffin describes the frightening appearance of the virus and its identification by scientists in China subsequent outbreaks on cruise ships the relentless spread to Europe the Americas Africa and elsewhere and the immediate attempts to confront it COVID 19 next explores the scientific history of infections generally and the discovery of coronaviruses in particular Taking a broad approach the book explains the advent of tests treatments and vaccines as well as the practical politics behind interventions including quarantines barrier technologies lockdowns and social and financial supports In concluding chapters Duffin analyzes the outcome of successive waves of COVID 19 infection around the world the toll of human suffering the successes and failures of control measures vaccine rollouts and grassroots opposition to governmentsâ attempts to limit the spread and mitigate social and economic damages Closing with the fraught search for the origins of COVID 19 Duffin considers the implications of an â infodemicâ and provides an cautionary outlook for the future