1918 Spanish Flu & Covid-19

How do we prevent the spread of disease when there is no vaccine?
How do we protect the economy?
Does Herd Immunity work?

These questions that keep policymakers, citizens, and businesses awake at night, were the exact same questions that were asked nearly 100 years ago during the 1918 Spanish Flu. The Spanish Flu killed about ~5% of the worlds population and dropped the life expectancy in the US by 12 years from 1917 to 1919.


The challenges we faced so long ago, are still very real today.

Join me, as we investigate the origins of the Spanish Flu, how the world responded, and its comparison to Covid 19.

Huge thanks to Dr. Saamia, Dr. Meagan, Dr. Shruti, and Dr. Vasanthi for their help in reviewing the medical contents of this pod.

Works cited

https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/1918-flu-pandemic#section_13
https://www.biospace.com/article/compare-1918-spanish-influenza-pandemic-versus-covid-19/
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/09/health/coronavirus-is-very-different-from-the-spanish-flu-of-1918-heres-how.html
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/science/coronavirus-vaccine-tracker.html
https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200813/swedens-no-lockdown-policy-didnt-achieve-herd-immunity
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/why-did-1918-flu-kill-so-many-otherwise-healthy-young-adults-180967178/
https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/01/data-suggest-ncov-more-infectious-1918-flu-what-does-mean
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/01/opinion/sunday/coronavirus-herd-immunity.html
https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/estimating-mortality-from-covid-19