World War C by Dr. Sanjay Gupta

 

American surgeon and CNN correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta outlines in World War C the further influence the pandemic may have on our everyday life. Is it too early to make predictions? In fact, the speed the world changed and adapted to the restrictions of the virus is tremendous and based on those observations only it is not too risky to assume at least a low level predictability of future trends and patterns.

When the first details of the virus were revealed, Dr. Gupta was having a glass of wine with Francis Ford Coppola assuming casually that an Apocalypse Now was still far from happening. As a reporter who covered the SARS outburst in Asia, he, as many others - including the humble writer of this book review who survived SARS in Asia in a very easygoing way - thought that the new Corona Virus outbreak is either an isolated or easy to contain phenomenon. But it was far from it.

This virus was and continue to be considered like no other pathogen ´the humanity ever seen´. Particularly its transmission pattern defy any other previous model, with a rather random-basis risk of transmission affecting severely affected immune systems. 

Relevant for the times of online conspiracies and anti-scientific feelings, there are extensive chapters dedicated to scientifically explaining the power of vaccines - any vaccines - and the opportunities open up by it for a medically safer realm.  

What I really appreciated in World War C, besides the relatively easy language appealing - hopefully - to many of those not yet sure about the advantages of vaccination - is the reference to the society impact and references. Thus, the recent Corona crisis is not only a medical crisis, but it displays the signs of a system struggle therefore the need of a comprehensive reconsideration of the state policies in this respect, but also a health crisis of the American public - among others - affected by unhealthy eating habits. It involves as well various economic, cultural, social and psychological aspects that may be taken into consideration for a better understanding of the mentality shift we are experiencing in the last year and a half, as well as its impact on our everyday life.

World War C by Dr. Sanjay Gupta is an useful book for students and readers interested in health policies and particularly the ways in which the Corona Virus crisis is challenging our daily lives. As the situation is further under development, this book is relevant for a specific moment in time and resumes intelligently reactions on both sides of the power spectrum in America and the future implications for the rest of the world.