Plagues, Pandemics and Viruses: From the Plague of Athens to COVID-19

A timely look at plagues, pandemics, and viruses from Athens’ plague of 430 BC to the COVID-19 pandemic. It introduces disease and the immune system, provides a short history of early medicine, and discusses plagues and pandemics and their historical, literary, and social context, including the Black Death, smallpox, influenza, plagues in specific areas, COVID-19, sexually transmitted diseases, and other afflictions. It offers opportunities for students to think critically about the development of medical practices and knowledge, and place COVID-19 in historical context. Suitable as a teacher resource to support cross-curricular study and to use specific excerpts with classes.