Spanish Flu vs . Coronavirus
Cordelia Orozco
Civilization had time to improve its systems of medicine , technology , government , and education over the last century . All of which influence our ability to overcome yet another disastrous crisis like the 1918 pandemic . One would think that we , as an astute evolving race , would handle circumstances better once COVID-19 surfaced . However , after comparing both technological advantages and approaches , I ’ ll leave that for you to decide .
In 1918 , only days after the Spanish flu ’ s first death , ignorant to the potential epidemic at hand , a parade that held 200,000 people took place in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania to support World War I efforts . Adding on to the missteps , soldiers would travel overseas from one military base to another in crowded ships which became virus carriers . Issues like this facilitated the spread of the virus explaining its rapid and vast expansion . Regardless of people ’ s knowledge and awareness of the issue , society seemed careless as they turned a blind eye .
Similarly , the first confirmed coronavirus death happened on Jan 11 , 2020 . 13 months and 2.3 million deaths later , many still protest and refuse wearing masks . They claim that the virus is a fake plot created by the government , and continue to party like there ’ s no tomorrow . Some countries such as Australia and New Zealand followed quarantine and stay-at-home orders strictly and immediately . Meanwhile , others who didn ’ t listen are evidently now suffering the consequences with the number of deaths increasing daily .
In the early 20th century , the technology available , although primitive , played a pivotal role in overcoming the flu and shaping the way we now live . Railroads facilitated travel in a safer manner by adding extra cars to trains to leave fewer passengers on each car . Back then it was newspapers that urged people to stop gatherings and updated them on the situation . Telephones were crucial to communication , a 1910 newspaper ad from the regional Bell Telephone Company of Missouri stated that people who were in quarantine were not isolated if they had a Bell Telephone . Surprisingly , there were even high school students who would hold regular telephonic conversations with their instructors . Although faced with various obstacles , people still found creative ways to adapt and use the available technology to stay as safe as possible .
Today , it ’ s amazing how much technology has refined and modernized from cable-girl-operated telephones . Now , people can go to school , do their jobs , and talk with their family face-to-face all through a screen . We can research , stay informed , and remain updated on social media , and even buy things like groceries and have them delivered to our door without having to leave our home . Thanks to technological advancements , there is no need to break the stay-at-home orders while vaccines and cures to this madness are being developed and produced . Yet , do people really stay at home ?
A lot of time has passed since the last pandemic , and a lot has changed . Although we do have more advantages now , it ’ s right to wonder , is history repeating itself ? Have we really learned from our mistakes of the past ?
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