Chapter 3 - The global impact of pandemics on world economy and public health response

Abstract

Since the dawn of the human era on earth, pandemics of human diseases have proved to be stumbling blocks to endeavors of growth and prosperity. There are historical mentions of pandemics and epidemics every few hundred years or so. The black plague, smallpox, cholera, plague, influenza, etc., have been reported variously in human history as reasons for considerable human misery in terms of both losses of lives and wealth. Pandemics have been estimated to affect the economy both positively and negatively. The current Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has brought to the forefront the need and means to explore global health catastrophes.