Section from where to include reference: Preface to the Ladies
Answer preview
Another similar prevention measure evident during the plague and in Covid-19 is the use of masks to prevent the inhalation of droplets from the infected, either through coughs or sneezes. During the outbreak in Medieval Europe, Boccaccio (97) informs that those who did not isolate themselves carried flowers, fragrant herbs, or nice smelling spices in their hands. They believed that this strategy comforted the brain, and it kept them safe from the air that had a stench of sickness, corruption, and medicines. Generally, due to the lack of a proven cure, societies in both scenarios sought easy solutions they thought would prevent the spread of infection. The other comparable element is handling the dead, whereby mass graves have been used as a quick solution for burying the deceased. This was a task conducted by sextons during the Black Death. In Siena, Italy, Del Grasso (101) illustrates that family members buried their loved ones in ditches with hundreds of the deceased laid to rest in piles. This Italian Chronicle is not any different from the mortality rate that saw Italy go into a lockdown during the Covid-19,
