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A new, highly contagious coronavirus first emerged in late 2019 in Wuhan, China. Within weeks the virus had infected millions of people worldwide. The illness caused by the virus—given the name COVID-19—left a trail of death in its wake as hundreds of thousands of people succumbed to the disease. In the United States, many governors responded to the COVID-19 threat by ordering schools and nonessential businesses to close and most everyone to stay home. Social distancing rules were put in place. Sporting events and concerts were canceled. Shopping malls and museums closed. Streets and highways in America's biggest cities were virtually deserted. Millions of people lost their jobs—and struggled to survive. This book documents the unprecedented events that rocked the nation and the world in 2020. With personal accounts, perspectives from experts, and clear, accessible writing, this book presents a vivid picture of the COVID-19 pandemic and how it turned the world upside down.

The new coronavirus that first surfaced in China rapidly spread to all corners of the world. In fits and starts, countries have struggled to contain the virus and the deadly illness it causes. Some have fared better than others. Those that enacted strict and consistent protocols had far different outcomes from those that relied on a patchwork of measures. This book looks at how different nations responded to the COVID-19 threat.

Much about the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is still unknown. But researchers are learning more every day about how it kills, how it spreads, why certain groups are affected more than others, how it can be slowed, and how it can be stopped. These are the topics covered in Health, Illness, and Death in the Time of COVID-19.

For most people today, the death and destruction brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented. But a look at the historical record tells a different story. Catastrophic pandemics have occurred throughout history—and many have resulted in economic, political, and cultural upheaval. This book examines pandemics through history and the changes they brought.