How NYC defeated the deadly 1918 flu without vaccines, blockades, mask obligations, or school closures

Staten Island, NY – The 1918 Spanish flu epidemic was one of the deadliest outbreaks in human history, killing as many as 50 million people worldwide, including about 675,000 in the United States.

But thanks to one civil servant’s unconventional mindset, New York City was better at managing illness than many other American cities.

There is no vaccine.Or closed

One of the key factors is that 1918 is different from what the world faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Influenza vaccines weren’t developed until the 1940s, so people who feared the flu couldn’t protect themselves that way. And, as Mayor Bill de Blasio did with the COVID vaccine, the city was unable to require residents and local workers to be vaccinated.

Dr. Royal S. Copeland, Commissioner of the City Health Department, was New York’s top general on the flu battlefield.

Much of what Copeland did was contrary to what many other US cities did to contain the outbreak.

The Greater Gotham, a book on the history of New York City from 1898 to 1919, explains how Copeland left schools, theaters and recreational facilities open, and other cities decided to close them. Explains.

Copeland inferred that schools are often more hygienic than urban housing, especially at the turn of the 20th century, when the slums that devastated the cityscape are packed.

Municipal schools also have established systems for monitoring and caring for children’s health, and of course there were no computer-driven distance learning options at the time.

As a result, the children were seen daily by school doctors and the sick children were sent home. Few children were victims of the flu.

Copeland also decided to keep the theater and other entertainment spots open because most venues are clean and well-ventilated. Regular customers were unable to cough, sneeze or smoke.

Doctors also thought that cinemas and performance stages could be used to disseminate influenza prevention measures to New Yorkers. Venue that did not meet Copeland’s cleanliness and ventilation standards was closed.

Big worries

Copeland was most worried, as subways and elevated railroads in crowded cities could be overwhelmed with infected passengers who couldn’t afford to miss work and stay home.

However, instead of shutting down the transportation system, Copeland worked with city companies to stagger business hours to keep out normal people during normal morning and evening rush hours.

As New York City officials did during the COVID-19 pandemic, Copeland launched a public awareness campaign on influenza, putting 10,000 posters on railroad stations, ferry stations, stores, police stations, etc. The public to explain how the flu spread, cover coughing and sneezing, and refrain from spitting.

Boy Scout’s army helped the city enforce non-spitting rules and handed out criminals a card stating “You violate hygiene laws.” One day in October, 134 men were fined $ 1 for spitting at Jefferson Market Court, according to Greater Gotham.

No mask man date

Obligations to wear masks were common in western states, but were not enacted in New York City, but authorities recommended people to wear face covers. According to History.com, many city dwellers choose to wear masks voluntarily, and newspapers provide tips on how to make masks at home.

However, many masks were made of gauze or even more porous materials that rarely stopped the spread of bacteria. And some New Yorkers pierced their masks so they could smoke while they were wearing them.

And as it is today, some Americans felt that wearing a mask was a violation of their civil liberties.

NYC beats odds

Unfortunately, there was little that could be done to help the flu patient himself. The city set up a health center, and visiting nurses tended to suffer from soups, baths, blankets, and fresh air until the flu subsided or the patient died.

About 20,000 New Yorkers died during the worst of the flus seen in September-November 1918. However, the urban mortality rate of 4.7 per 100,000 was better than Boston (6.5), especially Philadelphia (7.3).

Contrary to my intuition, Copeland’s anti-shutdown strategy helped New York City avoid the worst of the 1918 flu pandemic.

Details of the deadly 1918 Spanish flu pandemic

Why the 1918 flu was so deadly.

How Staten Island fought the Town Hall during the 1918 influenza pandemic.

A deep look at how New York kept public schools open during the 1918 flu epidemic.