How did the 1918 flu pandemic affect the US?
The flu afflicted over 25 percent of the U.S. population. In one year, the average life expectancy in the United States dropped by 12 years. It is an oddity of history that the influenza epidemic of 1918 has been overlooked in the teaching of American history.
Where did the 1918 flu affect?
Outbreaks of the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 occurred in nearly every inhabited part of the world. Although it remains uncertain where the virus first emerged, it quickly spread through western Europe and around the world—first in ports, then from city to city along main transportation routes.
What happened in 1918 in America?
The 1918 influenza pandemic was the most severe pandemic in recent history. It was caused by an H1N1 virus with genes of avian origin. Although there is not universal consensus regarding where the virus originated, it spread worldwide during 1918-1919.
Who did the 1918 flu affect the most?
Mortality was high in people younger than 5 years old, 20-40 years old, and 65 years and older. The high mortality in healthy people, including those in the 20-40 year age group, was a unique feature of this pandemic.
What happened after the flu pandemic of 1918?
Over time, those who contracted the virus developed an immunity to the novel strand of influenza, and life returned to normal by the early 1920s, according to historians and medical experts. Reports at the time suggest the virus became less lethal as the pandemic carried on in waves.
What was the response to the 1918 flu pandemic?
The most effective efforts had simultaneously closed schools, churches, and theaters, and banned public gatherings. This would allow time for vaccine development (though a flu vaccine was not used until the 1940s) and lessened the strain on health care systems.
What are the worst pandemics in US history?
For more than a century, the deadly 1918 flu had been the benchmark for pandemics in the US. Unfortunately, as of September 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic is officially the worst pandemic in American history.
How long did the 1918 flu pandemic last?
The 1918 influenza lasted 25 months, and may have originated in Spain, France or the USA with no definite evidence of origination. The first wave lasted approximately from 15 February 1918 to 1 June 1918 and the fourth and final wave lasted approximately from 1 December 1919 to 30 April 1920.
What was the 1918 pandemic in America?
The 1918 flu pandemic, also known as the Great Influenza epidemic or by the common misnomer of the Spanish flu, was an exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 influenza A virus.
What was happening in 1918 in America and Europe?
This year is noted for the end of the First World War, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, as well as for the Spanish flu pandemic that killed 50–100 million people worldwide.
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