How Long Did The Previous Pandemic Last?
The pandemic we are presently facing isn't the first one our country has ever seen of course. But then again, most of us weren't around a hundred years ago.
I myself have often wondered if this current pandemic mirrors the Spanish Flu epidemic that was at large during the year 1918.
What measures did they take into considerations for businesses and daily life? Did people have to constantly wear masks and wash their hands too?
According to History, The Spanish flu infected 500 million people worldwide and killed between 20-50 million people.
Currently, we stand at a total death count of 2 million according to Google due to Coronavirus worldwide.
The Spanish Flu pandemic lasted for about two years. I find it odd that we are almost approaching the one-year mark and yet there appears to be no sign of normalcy in the near future.
Yes, the vaccine is being distributed but we don't know how that will affect our daily lives quite yet.
Despite hearing about 'second waves' and varying symptoms, I just can't help but draw conclusions that this pandemic closely emulates the Spanish Flu in more ways than one.
"Historians now believe that the fatal severity of the Spanish flu’s “second wave” was caused by a mutated virus spread by wartime troop movements. Yet the first wave of the virus didn't appear to be particularly deadly, with symptoms like high fever and malaise usually lasting only three days. According to limited public health data from the time, mortality rates were similar to seasonal flu."
The age groups for people who had the Spanish Flu were also all over the board too similar to what we have also experienced with COVID-19.
"The Spanish flu exhibited...high numbers of deaths among the young and old, but also a huge spike in the middle composed of otherwise healthy 25- to 35-year-olds in the prime of their life."
Source: History
I'm not a doctor by any means, but if history repeats its self in this case of a pandemic, it sounds like we may have another year to go.
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