Sometimes: COVID-19 vs 1918-1919 influenza pandemic comparison

It may seem like a really unprecedented time, but in most cases it’s accurate. However, humankind has a history of facing pandemics. The 1918-1919 flu pandemic circled the globe, leaving Thurston County unavoidable. Unlike a century ago, there are considerable similarities between COVID-19 and the last major pandemic that passed Salmon County, the 1918-1919 influenza H1N1.

Influenza H1N1- “Spanish” influenza

The 1918-1919 flu pandemic was commonly known as the “Spanish” flu. However, the disease did not begin in Spain, nor did it have a devastating effect on Spain. The pandemic occurred at the same time most Europe and the United States were involved in World War I. To keep them from appearing weak to the enemy, countries involved in the war have minimized coverage of the spread of the flu. Since Spain was neutral during the war, news reports were unrestricted, leading to the general perception that Spain was the epicenter of the pandemic. When Spanish King Alfonso XIII died of an influenza strain, the “Spanish” flu became an official language.

Like COVID-19, influenza H1N1 is a respiratory virus that spreads through direct contact with droplet infections. In Thurston County and around the world, the impact of COVID-19 is very similar to the 1918-1919 flu.

Empty shelf

When a news report showed that COVID-19 arrived in Washington, residents rushed to Costco and other retailers to buy their own disinfectants, soaps, bleaches, bottled water, and toilet paper. started. Like an area distiller Sandstone distillery And Shoe box spirits In response to the growing demand for disinfectants, we have used our skills and ingredients to create recipes for recommended alcohol content and have delivered our products to police and fire departments, health professionals, and the general public.

In particular, new shortages have come to the surface in the supply of meat and seeds and equipment for gardening. Much of the meat that was processed for domestic consumption was taken in a large processing center that was closed after workers tested positive for COVID-19, resulting in a temporary decline in production. Seed deficiencies are due to a temporary increase in customer demand, such as cleaning supplies and toilet paper. All shortfalls and confusions are considered temporary fluctuations.

Thurston County residents faced their own shortage of shelves from 1918 to 1919. However, these deficiencies were not the result of the flu, either directly or indirectly. Rather, they were caused by wartime distribution. Sugar, wheat, and meat are the major deficiencies experienced by residents, and like their modern counterparts, residents have used their creativity to minimize the confusion of the shortage.

Myrtle Boon was a performer in the district of Thurston County. The Home Demonstration Club was supported by an extension office connected through the USDA, the state’s agricultural department, state colleges and universities. During the war and the epidemic, the home demo club provided advice and information on topics such as gardening and food preparation and preservation. Prior to the advent of Google and YouTube, the information provided by these clubs and local newspapers and flyers was invaluable to families in need. Boone advised a 1918 local housewife to use potatoes from Washington’s bumper potato crops instead of flour instead of bread.

Grocery delivery

The crowded aisles of local grocery stores encourage residents to order groceries online for street pickup or home delivery. Area grocery stores also implement a variety of ways to limit customer and employee exposure, from limiting the number of patrons to floor markings that indicate a distance of 6 feet.

Street services and grocery delivery may seem like modern conveniences, but they were also used in the early 1900s. The club grill market, originally on Fifth Avenue in downtown Olympia, advertised high-quality products such as butter and cans that were carried to customer doors. The nearby Reder & Phillips reminded our customers that everything is “clean and hygienic” and that we can deliver it quickly.

Closed school

Thurston County Overseer Temporarily Closed March 16, 2020 Olympia, North Thurston, Tumwater, Jelm,and Rainier After the school, and after many deliberations, Governor Insley ordered all Washington schools to be closed for the remainder of the school year. Public gatherings are prohibited and services are restricted to mandatory.

October 1918, H.W. Partlow, local doctors, and county health officials have ordered all schools to shut down and have given orders from the State Health Commission. “The only way [the Influenza epidemic] The only thing that can stop is to close down all the places where people get together, the Health Commission said. The second wave of flu in early 1919 led to the closure of theaters and dances, and authorities called on the public to stay home from all gatherings.

mask

In addition to increasing physical distance and washing hands, public health officials say that face masks will be a useful tool to limit the spread of the infection, as more information on the transmission and spread of COVID-19 is available. I made a decision. It’s difficult to keep a distance.

According to current information, cloth masks help limit the number of airborne droplets, allowing the transmission of COVID-19 from asymptomatic individuals who are asymptomatic but are releasing viral particles to unexposed individuals. May reduce. Skilled sewers make phone calls, sell cloth masks at low cost, or offer them free to communities, friends, neighbors and members through online Facebook groups.

Masks were encouraged in 1918-1919. In October 1918, the City of Seattle made an emergency call to the Thurston County Red Cross Branch for 10,000 influenza masks. Local workers met at the Temple of Justice on the Capitol campus and sewed a six-layer cotton mask. Current knowledge indicates that masks are restricted and contain the spread of disease from infected individuals, rather than directly protecting the mask wearer from breathing the virus.

In the modern era of commercial air, computers and the internet, 1918 may seem like a million years ago. However, about a century ago, Thurston County residents had endured a global epidemic. If history reminds us of something, the people of Thurston County, even while we are physically separated, have become a more powerful community reinforced by bonds forged during the pandemic. You will experience a pandemic.