Putting major pandemics of the past in perspective helps shed light on the Covid-19 experience and better prepare us for crises to come.

History can shed light on a number of issues raised by COVID-19. For from one pandemic to another — whether the plague, cholera, or influenza; whether in medieval times or in our highly connected 21st century — a few major constants and a few legacies can be observed. From alert measures to medical response, available hospital beds to burial management, all epidemics have gone through the same stages. They, too, can be opportunities to learn about biology, medicine, and more broadly speaking, society in a given ers.