Reflecting on the power of quarantine — Vridhi Prakash
By: Learning In Liminal Space
Tags: Qurantine, Save, Lessons, Humanity, Life

It was the summer of 1665 when a clueless London merchant sent flea-infested fabrics to the tailor of Eyam: Alexander Hadfield. These fleas weren’t alone in their voyage to the village — they were carrying bacteria that would cruelly destroy and take the lives of many, now known as the Bubonic Plague.

George Viccars was the first to contract the illness. As the village tailor’s assistant, he was believed to have hung the newly-arrived clothes out to dry over the hearth. Thriving in warm weather, the fleas carried the plague to the poor assistant tailor. He would become the first victim of the plague in Eyam.

As summer blossomed, things took a turn for the worse. Not only did the plague make a blistering return; it mutated and became pneumonic — which meant that humans could now transmit it to one another directly, instead of being infected by fleas alone. The people of England had a vague idea of what should be done. But then the newly appointed rector announced during mass that the whole town of Eyam would self-quarantine themselves.

Mompesson suspected that Eyam’s fleeing villagers might spread the outbreaks in larger cities. This was the main reason why he had to take this drastic step in order to save the rest of mankind. Together with the former rector Thomas Stanley, the two men persuaded the villagers into staying. No one would enter or leave the village of Eyam.

On June 24, 1666, the people of Eyam voluntarily quarantined themselves with a “cordon sanitaire.” Rocks were placed in a 1-mile-long circle around Eyam to create perimeter; this would be their isolation zone. Many would never pass the stones again.

Nearby villages sold them food and supplies by the rocks in exchange for “disinfected” coins. The villagers would soak the coins in vinegar, and this practice was believed to prevent the plague from spreading.

This boundary stone was left behind as a symbol of sacrifice and decisiveness after the circle was removed many years later. It marks the eventual freedom for the people who survived the plague of Eyam.

The six holes in the stone were once filled with coins left by the villagers, to be sanitized in vinegar. At the start of the plague, Eyam had 350 people in self-quarantine. By the summer’s end, 260 people had died.

This story is truly important in today’s time when we are battling COVID-19. It talks about the power of quarantine. Imagine what would have happened if this small town would have not self-quarantined. With nobody entering or leaving the town there was no way the infection would spread. This huge step saved many lives ahead. Similarly, at this crucial stage, we should also stay home in order to be safe. By doing this we would save our family and thousands of other people. Every single one of us is important for breaking this chain of the way COVID-19 is spreading.

For the full story and loads more visit: https://interestingengineering.com/plague-infested-village-self-quarantined-to-stop-the-plague-of-1666

This story was reflected by Vridhi as part of powerful life lessons for humanity. Vridhi is 14 years old. She studies at Head Start Educational Academy, Bangalore. She loves to dance, bake, play basketball, read books and contribute to the world in every given opportunity.