Following the incident at the laboratory, nearly 200 people were reportedly placed in isolation. The death of a young woman who worked at the Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute in southeastern Siberia , Russia, has sparked fears of a pneumonic plague outbreak. Her death reportedly involved an incident with a live bacterium. As reports of a possible leak circulated, netizens responded with their characteristic sardonic humour, with the classic plague doctor costume also making a comeback online.
Some called the costume ‘a new summer dress’ to rock. Other videos featured people dressing up in the eerie ensemble to ‘aura farm’ and do trending dances. The classic costume worn by European plague doctors in the 17th century is making a comeback.
Netizens drew comparisons between a person in the white PPE suit worn by healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and someone dressed in a plague doctor costume, using dark humour to contrast the two eras.
showing their style and swag, historically, it was worn only by physicians treating plague patients While everyone is trying it on now.
