Coronavirus: Countries need to 'help each other' as death rate increases - BBC Newsnight

Historical diseases like the Black Death and Spanish Flu had enormous impacts on the world, transforming society in myriad ways still being felt to this day.

The coronavirus outbreak, while nowhere near the severity of those diseases, has posed its own challenge to governments, and has come at a time of globalisation and a hyper-connected world.

How might the coronavirus impact our society?

Kirsty Wark speaks to broadcaster and historian of disease Rebecca Rideal about the lessons we can learn from historical diseases.

Historian Professor Yuval Noah Harari, author of Sapiens, Homo Deus and 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, discusses what the impact of Covid-19 could be.

#Coronavirus #Covid19 #CoronaOutbreak #2019nCov

Newsnight is the BBC's flagship news and current affairs TV programme - with analysis, debate, exclusives, and robust interviews.

[ezzahhh]

Every Government Ever: "I have a goddamn plan!"


Me: No...no you don't

[vrioxbe]

The world will never be the same. The people’s view of life and their habit will change for positive way and the world will become better place.

[stealthofthefox]

WRONG. Epidemics do spread but by closing borders you slow down the spread significantly therefore giving more time for vaccines to be developed.

[sambarrett]

I'm aware he said this to move focus away from celebrities and other non medical progressionals but the Liverpool football club manager is right, stop listening to celebrities, silly non science based opinion prices and listen to the experts. People are quick to be distrustful of things they don't understand but the truth is smarter minds than ours have made the world what it is today, so in this time of crisis we should look to these experts for help and not to those who seek to divide us.

[AviSandy]

My wife's family is in Wuhan quarintined for almost 2 months now. Join me to pray to my Hindu gods for their safety !

[AviSandy]

Yuval Noah Harari your book Sapiens changed my life. Now I am left instead of right and see the world completely differently. Thank you.

[gisvlasta]

There were no political borders in the middle ages; only geographical. Some of the geographical borders were possible to be crossed. Political borders are those who can stop the spread. Look at the case of Taiwan. It closed its borders to travellers from certain places and that was a success. Borders out to be closed in some cases. End of story here.

[oldcronediy]

Quarantines do work, borders do work... unless of course you want a pandemic to move around the world. This could have been controlled if the countries were proactive instead of re-active. People have a sense of what is going on and the first clue was "don't put all your eggs in one basket."

[stefanlee]

In this historical global crisis, I’m really happy being Korean with right government with right leadership. Look at the graph of Korea and you’ll understand why.
But it will be also hard time for us since we depend so much on global exchanges. In the end, we really need global leadership to make the right choices for all people around the world.

[lydiat]

It takes just one idiot from the govt like in UK to take the wait and see stance for the situation to get out of control on a national level and add to the world pandemic. This is detrimental to other countries that had suffered so much to recover.

[jclearners]

"Global cooperation" is the foremost requirement to fight for a common cause - COVID-19. Individual country cannot find the complete solution...

[joytekb]

How wrong you were Youval in your book about epidemics.

[FranciscodeAssisDorneles]

Alguem, por favor, traduza para o português para ser compartilhado estas valiosas informações no Brasil.

[christal]

Most Americans now don't trust the Trump administration. How COULD WE?
However, I think that the mayors and governors who tell the truth will be rewarded not only with trust and effectiveness now, but at the next election. Every politician in America will have to face the voters within the next 4 and a half years.
Meanwhile, I hope that neighbors will help and respect one another.
MedCram #34 has some hopeful news about a TREATMENT for NCoVD19. Dr. John Campbell's YouTube channel is also very helpful, and a little less technical.

[howienordstrom]

This is exactly the message in the movie "Arrival".

[beepbeep]

What nonsense, even madness! In the Middle Ages, people knew nothing about how to prevent diseases, so his comparison is ridiculous. Isolating and preventing further spread is actually a good idea, not becoming "more open" to spreading it, as he suggests. He just wants to defend globalism and his previous political beliefs.

[jonathanzhang]

The old and traditional methodology Quarantine in a Massive Scale still proves to be the most effevtive way in my opinion. The effectiveness to a large extent depends on how strict individual government carries out those quarantine measures. Somehow I dont have much confidence in the lockdown measures taken in Italy as the government there is still allowing the operation of airports and train services. Quarantine only works if carried out in an extremely strict manner.

[nobaso]

Belligerent right wing comments as you scroll down.

[uygarbaytekin]

Let's set up the "Sapiens Party" in every country! Let their video be their common goal and Harari's books.

[ClanGunnBushcraft]

Guy at the start... You've got to have trust in your government 😂🤣😂
Ths propergander to keep the sheeple calm right to the end is rediculous