Pandemics have destroyed cities before. Could they do it again?

Charles Kenny, author of a forthcoming book on pandemics, is cautiously optimistic that cities will prevail in the era of COVID-19. Here, he talks to Richard Florida about how infectious diseases have shaped cities throughout history, how COVID-19 could impact urbanization, and why preparedness is everything. The COVID-19 pandemic has woken us up to the way viruses attack and spread through cities, but the reality is that infectious diseases have long ravaged cities and urban areas. Charles Kenny has thought a lot about the connection between cities and disease. A senior fellow at the Center for Global Development and former World Bank economist, Kenny is the author of several books including The War on Death and The Upside of Down: Why the Rise of the Rest is Good for the West. He recently tweeted about his latest book, Winning the War on Death: Humanity, Infection and the Fight for the Modern World, currently undergoing peer review at the University of California Press. I contacted him about it, and he sent me the manuscript, which is timely and fascinating. I spoke to him about the history of cities and infectious disease and his main takeaways about how the current COVID-19 crisis will affect cities today.Read Full Story Continue reading at 'Fast Company'

[ Fast Company | 2020-04-14 11:15:24 UTC ]

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