Covid-19 Essay
HPS 412: Principles of Epidemiology
Summer 2020: Final Project Worth 15 points
We live in interesting times and are going through an episode that seems unique to us. But it is not unique; civilizations have met this kind of challenge before. The United States faced a horrible scenario with the Spanish Flu in the years 1918-1919. This project will let you explore the role disease has had in upending “normal” life, how people coped with a horrible disease impacting their lives and society in general. You will also learn how disease actually changed societies.
For this project I want you to report on COVID-19 and how what we are going through now resembles or differs from one or more other similar disease episodes in history. You can pick historical episodes such as the Bubonic Plague, the Spanish Flu of 1918, HIV/AIDS, SARS, cholera pandemics, measles in the Native American populations, the 1665 Great Plague of London, or the Athens or Justinian Plagues. If you don’t care for these suggestions, pick your “favorite” plague/pandemic and write on that. Compare and contrast how what happened in historical times resembles/differs from today. But most important, how will COVID-19 change/or not change our society (socially, politically, economically, medically, or public health wise)? How will be ready for the next time a pandemic happens? Do not just tell me how COVID has made us use social distancing and wear face masks along with frequently washing our hands. I want everyone to dig deep and speculate on how this virus may permanently change us as a society – change our social practices, our economic, how we do our work, how we deliver education and healthcare. Have fun with this! You are the future of public health and you need to think about these things. An honest and strong effort will get you full credit, so take this assignment seriously.
Below are some sights which may help. You don’t have to use these sites but I found them interesting and of great value:
https://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/the-great-courses-professor-separates-coronavirus-fact-from-fiction/?id=40599936&ai=184857&sa=HS12&cm_mmc=email-_-Email184857_20200323-_-body-_-mainimg&cmp=email
https://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/an-introduction-to-infectious-diseases-full-video-course/?id=40599936&ai=184857&sa=HS12&cm_mmc=email-_-Email184857_20200323-_-body-_-mainimg&cmp=email
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/lessons-from-past-outbreaks-could-help-fight-the-coronavirus-pandemic1/
https://www.nbcchicago.com/top-videos-home/chicago-doctors-blunt-speech-about-covid-19-hits-home-across-the-country/2241880/?fbclid=IwAR0B-4VDn96MPk5dlFKGwEdSBbO1LvxANq3jNvDI1tuyh59qHLFJ_IEXP6c
This paper needs to be:
• Between 4-5 pages in length (approximately 1,200 – 1,500 words)
• Times New Roman or Arial type in 12-point font
• One-inch margins all around
• Line spacing at 1.5
• If you need a reference page because you cite a source, the references page will not count toward the 4-5 pages that make up the body of the paper.
• Your name should be in a header or footer of the paper.
• APA style is probably best to follow, but I will not be strict about this. Pick a style that works for you and stick with it.
