Reconsidering the 1918–19 Influenza Pandemic in the Age of COVID-19

For many us who have studied, researched, written, and taught about the influenza pandemic of 1918–19, the current period of the global viral pandemic is eerily and unpleasantly familiar. Today, the rapid global spread of a virus has prompted policies calling for widespread closures, social distanci...

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Published inThe journal of the gilded age and progressive era Vol. 19; no. 4; pp. 642 - 672
Main Authors Nichols, Christopher McKnight, Bristow, Nancy, Ewing, E. Thomas, Gabriel, Joseph M., Montoya, Benjamin C., Outka, Elizabeth
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published New York, USA Cambridge University Press 01.10.2020
Subjects
20th century
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Fatalities
Influenza
Pandemics
Public health
Special Roundtable
United States > US
influenza
COVID
disease
pandemic
public health
Spanish flu
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Summary:For many us who have studied, researched, written, and taught about the influenza pandemic of 1918–19, the current period of the global viral pandemic is eerily and unpleasantly familiar. Today, the rapid global spread of a virus has prompted policies calling for widespread closures, social distancing, constant handwashing, and public mask wearing in additional to other non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). We have also seen pushback and resistance to these directives as well as substantial mismanagement of resources and a flood of misinformation. Much health policy has been inconsistently set at the local rather than federal level. These responses to our current pandemic closely mirror those to the pandemic 102 years ago.
ISSN:1537-7814
1943-3557
DOI:10.1017/S1537781420000377