Current Events
Yesterday’s flu Several similarities between Spanish Flu of 1918 and COVID-19 of 2020 By JIM FRANCO francoj@spotlightnews.com
stay-at-home orders to fight the virus for the first time in more than a century. “Churches, Schools, Shows Another common headline closed.” “Flu epidemic ravages associated with COVID-19 fast.” “Lid to go on city today.” and Spanish Flu came last Those headlines are familiar week: a technique used to stop the spread in 1918 is today, but they screamed being used to today. Basically, across newspapers more than convalescent plasma therapy 100 years ago during the involves taking plasma from Spanish Flu of 1918. a person who had the virus, That virus was the first and during the course of of five global influenza recovery developed antibodies, pandemics of modern times or proteins that counteract a and remains by far the most pathogen, according to Albany deadly. Estimates vary, but Medical Center Hospital. That according to the federal plasma is injected into a body Center for Disease Control, it still infected to help its internal infected a third of the world’s battle. population, or about 500 Albany Med got its first million people, and killed 50 plasma donation from an million people with at least employee who was infected 675,000 fatalities in the U.S. with the virus and who While indications are recovered. The hospital, one of COVID-19 will not be nearly the first in the nation to get that deadly, countries around an OK from the federal Food the globe are mandating social and Drug Administration to distancing techniques and proceed with the treatment,
6 SENIOR SPOTLIGHT — MAY 2020
is seeking other donors and anyone who tested positive but has not had any symptoms for at least two weeks can call 518262-9340.
Social Distancing
Unlike today, social distancing 102 years ago was a far less concerted effort, but involved many of the same basic techniques: closing all mass gatherings and businesses and telling people to isolate inside. According to a story in the Wall Street Journal which cited a book by John Barry called “The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History” President Woodrow Wilson never publicly mentioned the pandemic, and Chicago’s public health commissioner said at the time: “It is our duty to keep the people from fear. Worry kills more people than the epidemic.” There are other significant societal differences, too, that exacerbated the spread of the
The Evanston News-Index in Illinois reports a frantic world in the midst of the Spanish Flu on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 1918. Insert: Johan Hultin in Brevig, Alaska. Photo via CDC Spanish Flu. In 1918, the country was just coming out of World War 1 and soldiers were coming home after travelling the world while living in close quarters. Also, unlike today, there was no unemployment insurance and limited social services so people had to work, despite the health risks, or face the chance of starving on the streets. It was also more difficult to get the word out in 1918 — there was no Facebook. It did, though work then just like it appears to be working now. As has been widely published, Philadelphia had its first reported case on Sept. 17, 1918 but waited until Oct. 3 before it began shutting things down. St. Louis, by
