5 Worst Public Health Outbreaks in U.S. History
Throughout history, there have been similar outbreaks to the coronavirus, with some handled forcefully and cohesively, reducing continuous spread, while others completely rejected the science, which temporarily destroyed the economic and health state of the country.
As the United States is amid a major public health crisis, it’s important to learn from history. There are some commonalities between the five outbreaks listed and the coronavirus, as they've all been unpredictable, deadly and transformed the way in which Americans lived.
Even under poor leadership, however, the United States has proven that it can eventually recover with the help of scientists, a proper vaccine and cooperative, safe efforts from Americans.
Rachel Bucchino is a reporter at the National Interest. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, U.S. News & World Report and The Hill.
Image: Reuters