‘Look Out for Changes in Behaviour’: Encephalitis Lethargica and COVID-19
Kate McAllister reflects on parallels between COVID-19 and the early twentieth century epidemic of Encephalitis Lethargica.
Contagious! Visiting an Exhibition on Epidemic Diseases
What do objects from a bygone age tell us about epidemics today? Since opening in June, the exhibition Contagious! reflects on the history of pandemics, including patients’ painful experiences, coping and containment strategies, and examples of ground-breaking medical research. Ruben Verwaal reports on his recent visit.
The Dementia “Epidemic”: Examining Illness Metaphors in a Time of Pandemic
Avril Tynan examines the dementia “epidemic” and the problems posed by illness metaphors in the context of coronavirus.
Historical lessons: pox and Covid-19
What lessons on Covid-19 can be learnt from the past? asks Rina Knoeff, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Arts and the Aletta Jacobs School for Public Health, University of Groningen.
Infodemic
The threats to public health posed by fake news and conspiracy theories are being taken seriously by health bodies, politicians, and social media companies. Gill Partington takes a critical look at the term ‘infodemic’, and unpicks the relationship between information and disease.