How many of us knew anything about infectious diseases prior to the moment Covid-19 Virus began rearing it’s ugly head? I vaguely remember hearing about the 1918 influenza in school so when I was at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC last year, I decided to visit an exhibition called, ‘OUTBREAK: Epidemics in a Connected World.’
It was eye-opening, even PRE-Covid-19. I learned that a pathogen could ‘spill over’ to humans, traveling wherever humans travel. If multiple people are infected, the spillover becomes an Outbreak. If the outbreak cannot be stopped, it becomes an Epidemic and if it spreads globally, it becomes a Pandemic. Sound a bit too familiar? I also learned that Outbreaks require coordinated detective work by many professionals. Epidemiologists, public health officials and workers, scientists, researchers and citizens all play a role in responding to infectious diseases.
During the past few months, my mind keeps returning to that exhibit and how distant the threat seemed then. At that point, museums around the world were welcoming guests everyday. All eager to learn something new. Little did I know that this 4,250 square foot exhibition would soon tell the story of the entire world.
As Paul Auwaerter, MD, FIDSA noted, “This exhibition demonstrates how fundamentally important infectious diseases expert, physicians and scientists are to our good health. A well-funded U.S. public health infrastructure is critical to keep our nation free of dangerous contagions that also requires strategic work abroad before problems come to our shores. This demonstration helps visitors truly understand how infectious diseases can affect everyone.”
One other point., museum collections like those at the National Museum of Natural History hold many secrets of infectious diseases. Scientists can analyze physical and molecular evidence from ancient specimens like mammal and bird skins, bones and fossils, frozen tissue samples, insects and other cultural artifacts to learn about diseases and epidemics of the past.
As museums prepare to open once again, let’s all be thankful for the educational opportunities they offer to anyone who walks though their doors. I for one, have missed them every day and am patiently awaiting my next museum adventure with my video crew, friends, family or by myself. My hope is that once this all passes, we can focus on global efforts to prevent outbreaks like Covid-19 from ever becoming a pandemic again.
Remember, you can always visit museums with us on Museum Access.
Season 3 is full of exciting museum visits from coast to coast. Check your local Public Television / PBS listings for air dates and times. You can always catch us on Amazon Prime Video anytime. We also have lots of free downloadable Educational Materials for Summer Fun at home.
