For this plague doctor to travel through
time and help us with COVID-19,
you'll need to take his place in the past,
where you could easily be exposed
to an even deadlier pandemic
known as the Black Death.
It would start with a sudden fever,
and before you know it,
your hands could turn black,
or horrific growths could cover your body.
Without the miracles of
21st century medicine,
would there be any way to beat this thing?
The Black Death is a deadly plague
that struck Europe and Asia in the 1300s.
Eventually, it killed over
50 million people worldwide.
Once its bacteria infects your body,
it would attack your lymphatic system,
causing its trademark
blood and pus-filled boils.
Then it would spread to your blood and lungs,
resulting in a variety of painful symptoms,
and eventually, death.
Oh, and did we mention
it's highly contagious?
One of the main ways the Black Death
can spread is through the bite of infected
fleas and rats,
so don't let them anywhere near you.
So come up with a new wardrobe
that will protect your skin from
any dangerous pests.
Wear coarse materials, such as leather,
to protect your skin against fleas
that might be carrying the plague.
And find some footwear to protect your
feet from dirty roads, rats, and other pests.
Once your new rodent-proof
outfit is complete,
you should also reduce the rodent habitat
around your home.
This means removing any small shrubs,
rock piles, and possible rodent food supplies.
This might sound harsh,
as many would have lost loved ones
during this pandemic.
But touching the dead increases
your chances of being exposed
to the infected fluids on their bodies.
This goes for dead animals too.
If you have to remove a dead animal,
make sure you do it wearing
proper protective gear.
While you're avoiding rodents
and dead people,
you should also avoid living people too.
The Black Death is an airborne disease,
so the more people there are around you
to cough and sneeze,
the higher your chances of getting infected.
With that in mind,
you'll be better off avoiding places
where large crowds gather.
Make sure you take baths often,
and wear clean clothes.
If you don't have access to running water
to take a full bath,
make sure you at least wash your hands
regularly with soap.
Wash your clothes often,
and leave them in sunlight if possible.
Scientists have found that sunlight
and drying destroy the bacteria
responsible for the Black Death.
So we recommend that you sunbathe
your clothes, high-touch items,
and linens as often as possible.
Hmm, this one sounds familiar.
The Black Death spreads through
infected respiratory droplets in the air,
so wear a mask to decrease
your chances of getting infected.
Build a multi-layer mask
with breathable material.
Or wear a leather one similar
to the iconic beaked masks,
and wear it whenever you're in
close contact with others.
And don't stop there.
If you want to be extra safe,
you should also consider wearing goggles
to prevent the droplets from
getting in your eyes.
Traveling during a modern pandemic
is a bad idea because
you could help spread the virus,
but traveling during a medieval pandemic
would be even worse.
During medieval times,
travelers had to endure harsh
and unsanitary conditions
on the road for several days or months.
So you would be at a much higher risk
of contact with infected
people or pests during your trip.
You and your family would be better off
staying home as much as possible.
So prepare a schedule
and a list of supplies that you may need,
and limit your interactions in stores,
markets, and on the streets.
And if a member of your household
does get infected,
you'll need to quarantine them immediately.
This means you will need to
prepare a room where they can stay isolated
from all the healthy family members,
and have almost no interactions
with other people.
Back during the era of the Black Death,
a quarantine lasted for at least 40 days.
So there you have it.
Following these steps should
give you a good chance of getting through
the Black Death alive.
Now it's time to head back to the future,
and see what 2021 has in store.
But don't worry,
we have just the video
to help you survive whatever awaits you.