Lessons Learned

Throughout history we had two major viruses the eruptions of Yellow Fever and Covid 19, individuals stopped shaking hands. People are frightened of developing the infection. To protect themselves and others, individuals went into seclusion, therefore reducing the chance of the virus. Yellow Fever reached Philadelphia in the year 1793, the interminable cause of yellow fever was a mosquito bite. People believed it initiated from a ship lugging French refugees fleeing a slave rebellion in Haiti death body count from yellow fever was in the hundreds or thousands. People bypassed shaking hands and kept their distance from one another. In the mistaken belief that it would save them from inhaling the tainted air.Covid-19 is a more contemporary virus that has also caused individuals to avoid hugs and physical touch, reports of Covid expanded in 2020. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) provoked people to keep a distance of 6 feet from others. CDC also uplifted others to wear face masks and get vaccinated not only to protect themselves but others as well. Furthermore, a lot of things have changed since the yellow fever epidemic, the dread and unease about the situation have been consistent because no one understood what to do. Because of newer technology, we have more credentials to medicines and things to keep us from getting sick, but at the end of the day, people are still afraid of sickness, no matter what it is Covid 19 or yellow fever, I feel technology will become more advance and learn how to stop virus like those.

During the outbreaks of Yellow Fever and Covid 19, individuals stopped shaking hands. People are terrified of developing the illness. To protect themselves and others, individuals went into isolation, therefore lowering the chance of the virus. Yellow Fever arrived in Philadelphia in the year 1793, the long term cause of yellow fever was from a mosquito bite.People thought it originated from a ship carrying French refugees fleeing a slave rebellion in HaitiThe death body count from yellow fever was in the hundreds or thousands. People avoided shaking hands and kept their distance from one another. In the mistaken belief that it would save them from inhaling in the tainted air, they covered their faces with handkerchiefs coated in vinegar or smoked tobacco. Covid-19 is a newer virus that has also caused individuals to avoid hugs and physical touch, reports of Covid increased in 2020.The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) encouraged people to keep a destants of 6-feet from others. CDC also encouraged others to wear face masks and get vaccinated to not only protect ourselves but others as well.People avoided physical contact but also discovered alternative methods, such as bumping elbows or feet. The reasons why individuals stopped shaking hands have developed throughout time. In the 227 years between 1793 and 2020, there have been changes in how people interact with one another and in how to better manage viruses.

During the most recent COVID-19 pandemic, we as a society learned the values of health and safety. We also learned how history can repeat itself. We took our health and others for granted, without realizing the effect it had on groups of people. We relied on the help of nurses and those in the medical practices. Some accepted help from anyone, regardless of race or ethnic background. While others refused help from certain races or ethnic backgrounds. It wasn't just the sick who avoided help from certain races—those who were healthy also avoided said races because of a stigma made. In the pandemic, we saw a rise of crimes against asian americans and black people.

In the Yellow Fever epidemic, a stigma was spread around saying that African-Americans were immune to the illness. This stigma was used to continue the enslavement of african-americans in the south. Although this claim was false, it was still spread around to cause problems within the white community. This specific kind of claim was mostly in New Orleans, Louisiana. This city was known for their slavery and domestic slave trade that the Americans started. Because of this, records always undercount enslaved people when defining those who have fallen ill.

When COVID-19 began with our ex-president, Donald J. Trump, the rise of hate crimes against Asian-Americans skyrocketed. During this time, COVID was named the “China Virus’ which began the harmful stigma against Asian-Americans. This caused anyone who looked asian to be attacked while on the street or public transportation. Videos online would go viral as people judged the attacker. Different social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram would try to spread awareness about it but regardless of efforts, the attacks still happened. After some time, the hate crimes began to stop as COVID began to die down.

Within both of these periods of time, it's shown that people feared the sick and would do anything to find a reason to avoid these people or mistreat them. During the Yellow Fever, people were saying that African-Americans were immune to the illness so they could be mistreated and continue to be enslaved. For COVID-19, people labeled the virus as the “China Virus” to stay away from Asian-Americans. In conclusion, in terms of lessons learned, people will always fear the sick during a breakout or for illnesses like the cold. Regardless if it’s contagious or not, people will do whatever to make others fear the sick.

In many situations, fear is inescapable. One of the key aspects the yellow fever was the amount of fear that people felt, knowing that one of the many people in the U.S. could be infected next, while not knowing the cause. Looking back on the yellow fever epidemic, the fear was legitimate. People feared that they would be next to die. Now, tons of people fear the Covid 19 pandemic, and would even go to further lengths to not get it in any way possible. The yellow fever epidemic was a devastating time, lasting for 2 centuries and killing more than hundreds of people. Even then, no one knew what to do, or where the fever came from. Everyone was so scared to the point of their depression killing them. This fear and paranoia led to more racism against Black people and even staying inside their homes, refusing to come out. Surprisingly, a lot of the same still happens now ever since the covid 19 pandemic. Hate crimes against Asian people, families having to be quarantined and stuck in their houses, and politics even taking advantage of the situation to gain trust. Scientists couldn’t find a vaccine for the sickness until a year later when so many people including those younger than 20 died. I am not exaggerating when I say that everyone was afraid. While a lot of things have changed since the yellow fever epidemic, the fear and concern about the situation have been consistent because no one knew what to do. Because of newer technology, we have more access to medicines and things to keep us from getting sick, but at the end of the day, people are still afraid of the sickness, no matter what it is. Even I’m scared that something bad will happen.