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. 2021 Sep:18:100657.
doi: 10.1016/j.jemep.2021.100657. Epub 2021 Jun 16.

Literature "magistra vitae": What literature teaches about society's reactions to pandemic outbreaks

A Perciaccante  1   2 , M Malacrea  3 , A Coralli  4 , S Donell  5
Affiliations

Literature "magistra vitae": What literature teaches about society's reactions to pandemic outbreaks

A Perciaccante et al. Ethics Med Public Health. 2021 Sep.

Abstract

Introduction: COVID-19 put out many interesting aspects of society's responses to an epidemic. Epidemics have a long-standing history in literature. We want to analyze if society's responses to the epidemic have changed over time, and what literature can teach about the society's reaction to an epidemic.

Material and methods: We searched and discussed the references to the social effects of the epidemic that are provided in three famous works of European literature providing descriptions about society's reactions to an epidemic throughout the centuries have been selected: "The Decameron" by Giovanni Boccaccio, "The Betrothed" by Alessandro Manzoni, and "The Plague" by Albert Camus.

Results: Literature teaches us that: the epidemic's spread is often preceded and favoured by a phase of negation or under evaluation of the problem; restrictive measures are the most efficient for containing the virus' spread; some people have difficulties in being compliant with these measures; infodemia may accompany an epidemic, feeding chaos and fear among the people.

Conclusion: Looking at examples of epidemics reported in the past, we can conclude that the current COVID-19 pandemic shows that society's responses to an unknown disease are not changed over time.

Keywords: COVID-19; Epidemic; Literature; Pandemic; Plague.

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References

    1. Boccaccio G. The Decameron. Translated by John Payne. New York: Black WJ Inc 1986;1-9. Available on: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/23700/23700-h/23700-h.htm.(last accessed on February, 20 2020).
    1. Ripamonti J. Richard Bentley; London: 1834. Josephi Ripamontii, canoniciscalensis, chronistae urbis Mediolani, de peste quae fuit anno 1630, Libri V; pp. 369–400.
    1. Manzoni A. The Bedtrothed. Available on: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35155 (Last accessed on February, 20 2020).
    1. Camus A. Random House; New York: 1948. The Plague. Translated by Stuart Gilbert; pp. 1–287. [Available at: https://archive.org/details/plague00camu_khb/page/8 (Last accessed on February, 20 2020)]

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