Introduction

A Historical Approach to Pandemic

In 1025, Avicenna (A Persian polymath) completed his Canon of Medicine, within which he speculated that some diseases are spread by microorganisms. He suggested the method of isolating people for 40 days to prevent transmission of diseases. For this, he was reprimanded by religious authorities, but his recommendations were taken up by Venetian traders who were travelling on the Silk Road. They took his knowledge back to Italy and from this the word “quarantena” (“the forty ”) was born.  A similar situation prevails today, as economic and financial pressures are thwarting science and logic recommendations, increasing the likelihood of a devastating second phase.