As Columbus’s arrival on American shores marked the beginning of globalization, COVID-19 began a new era of globalization as trade and movement have been restricted and altered. I find it an interesting connection between disease caused by imperialism and the virus of COVID-19 because COVID lockdowns affected people on a global level, not just native vulnerable populations such as during imperialism. It is very tragic how many people were killed by these diseases while their homes were being overtaken by an invader. A very complex and interesting point is brought up in this reading, referring to how COVID-19 caused so much damage in our modern world. The reading points out that it seems unreal how much destruction was caused by the virus when we have so much knowledge. I think a big reason it caused so much damage – and continues to do so – is that our leaders and restrictions, mandates and regulations, etc.. were not consistent and still aren’t – for example, with mask mandates. Leaders are also making decisions based on science that really isn’t solid science, just science that supports their agenda. For every study that supports one point, there is another study to disprove it. It is also important to make the distinction that COVID-19 did not cause the economic crisis – it was the lockdowns and shutdowns – although secondary to the virus –  that caused the economic crisis. The same leaders telling us to all wear masks are also the ones attending expensive, lavish parties maskless while people are losing their jobs, homes, and livelihoods. The government does not care about our health, but rather control — just as Columbus did and his crew did when they came over and took over native regions. He did not care about the people that were being harmed, only about his own interests of wealth and power. History continues to repeat itself, but people stay blinded and do not learn from it.