There are several parallels that can be drawn between these historical documents and today’s pandemic. Methods from the 17th century such as quarantine and curfews are still used today to curb the virus. Breaking these rules still carry punishments, but not in the same severity – during the 17th century, breaking one of these rules could carry a death sentence. Much like today, people were very frightful of the disease and how destructive it was, with some accounts describing it as “frightful violence”. Those people who had the money fled the city for the countryside. Additionally, there was a large stigma placed upon those that were infected, “breathed death”, and there was general frightful feeling towards victims. With such negativity, rumors quickly circulated that they believed the plague was caused by bad air quality, which prompted citizens to go out for air. Even now, rumors have been circulated that the coronavirus was created in a lab in China, created by Bill Gates, caused by 5G. While in quarantine, people tried many different methods to pass time, while now we use the internet or other modes of technology, in the 17th century people drank alcohol or rolled “tobacco to smell and chaw – which took away the apprehension”. Much like the current pandemic the plague unevenly struck cities, some areas saw few cases, while others saw horrendous numbers. The narrator of one of the accounts also laments how the changes that were implemented happened too late – again another similarity – “If proper steps had been taken, might, Providence concurring, have been avoided”.
Teacher Comment: Yes, very astute observations here, Kunsel. I like the way you’ve thought about penalties (although Duterte in The Philippines did suggest people should be shot dead if they break curfew!). Excellent writing here – well done 🙂