COVID-19

Jacalyn Duffin is a physician and professor emerita at Queen's University and co-editor of SARS in Context: Memory, History, and Policy.

"As a physician, historian, and now volunteer contact-tracer, Duffin provides a unique perspective on the history of COVID-19. This well-written and engaging book is the most detailed historical overview to date on the first waves of the pandemic in Canada and around the world." Catherine Carstairs, University of Guelph and author of The Smile Gap: A History of Oral Health and Social Inequality"Although there is a COVID book on almost every topic, Jacalyn's Duffin's history instantly stands out. She has written a global history that is both measured and sophisticated. Although there will be other histories of the pandemic, I am confident that Duffin's analysis will occupy an important place in the historiography of COVID-19 for years to come." The American Review of Canada Studies"With verve and skill, Duffin tells a compelling story that is familiar in its big picture and new in its fine details. In the hands of most any other scholar, a short history of COVID-19 would be a blur, but in the hands of this leading medical historian, it's a tour-de-force of smart analysis and clear writing. Among Duffin's many strengths are her ability to draw on ancient, medieval, early modern, and modern history to deepen our understanding of the present, as well as her ability to weave different themes in and out of her text. Two stand out: scapegoating and the social determinants of health." Literary Review of Canada"Covering the period from December 2019 through May 2022, the text is detailed and comprehensive, providing useful background on the histories of germs, viruses, and ecology. The exploration of testing, vaccines, treatments, and their long-term effects from the perspective of a physician-historian is especially informative." Choice