Coronavirus - The Biography: How Covid-19 Brought Down the Unwary World

THIS IS an overview, thus far, of the Covid-19 pandemic, to assist in following and understanding the complex international events. The virus spread capriciously from China, steadily mutating, and continued to give new infections in successive waves. Society's defenses at first offered little more than the quarantines against the plague of mediateval times and preparedness was hindered by a dearth of simple protective equipment. In spite of warnings from the outbreaks in cruise ships, the virus spread easily, notably reaching the vulnerable senior citizens in care homes. For governments, there was a 'health-versus-wealth' choice and when punitive lock-downs were reluctantly brought in to protect the over-stretched hospitals, social life ceased, the streets were deserted, sport halted, and schools and churches closed. With industry closed down, the economies suffered and governments had to offer unprecedented financial support. False hopes that the virus had been contained, if not eliminated, were repeatedly dashed as each new wave appeared, but the successful vaccines, produced at remarkable speed, but resisted by some, began to favorably tip affect community immunity.

Now in its third edition, this evolving text retains the impact of the changing events as they happened and serves as a corrective to future judgments which risk use of hindsight and faulty memory.

Appendices dealt with the history of pandemics, the virology of Covid-19, vaccine production methods and suggestions for further reading in the literature on pandemics, including fiction.