The Bubonic Plague & COVID-19:
The Continuous Disparities in Global Crisis Responses

November, 2023

This paper shows that from colonial Vietnam's bubonic plague through the AIDS crisis to the COVID-19 pandemic, wealthier nations have repeatedly stigmatized marginalized communities and hoarded vital resources, perpetuating inequality despite medical advances. To change this, it urges stricter anti-discrimination laws, public education to dispel stigma, and a global system that rewards cooperation and penalizes self-interest.