In an article in the journal “The Nurse in Israel”, Dr. Dorit Weiss, RN, CNS, Ph.D., an Ono faculty member, compares the two diseases and claims that history can teach us a lot about how to react to the current epidemic. She notes that the recent outbreak of COVID-19 recalls previous epidemics including that of Polio (Poliomyeliti) in the 1950’s. Her article addresses the issue of viral epidemics in an age of globalization with fewer hard international boundaries. She also comments on the history of lockdowns as a response to epidemics and the role of preventative medicine. Areas of similarity between the diseases and treatments of COVID and Polio include: isolation, respiratory distress, ethics, experimental treatments, mask-wearing, hygiene and more. Differences include the virus’s target populations (the elderly vs. the young). The article concludes with lessons that can be applied to future outbreaks.
