The Gateway Chronicle 2020

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nevertheless been considered massively
influential and a founder of epidemiology.
Treatment during this age had begun to
move on from prayer and amulets, and
was primarily based on avoiding the sick:
prevention, rather than cure. This was
seen again during the Spanish Flu epidemic
in 1918, to which there are stark
similarities in the response to Covid-19:
schools were closed, people were told to
Although this sounds very alarming, and
was a tragic loss of life, there are numerous
reasons why Covid-19 may not be as
‘uncertain’ as previous epidemics. Our
understanding of the causes of disease,
the science of epidemiology and our hospital
capacity to treat rather than just comfort
the sick mean we face significantly
better odds than our predecessors. The
history of thought around disease has
moved on significantly as we understand
The response to the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic was somewhat similar to the fight against Covid-19
wear masks, and the sick were quarantined.
However, there is a key difference
between then and now, and that is the
lack of vaccinations. The first flu vaccine
was created in the 1940s, after the influenza
virus was discovered in the early
1930s. This lack of a vaccination combined
with the very aggressive nature of
the disease meant death tolls were up to
as many as 50 million by the end of the
pandemic.
their real causes – bacteria and viruses –
as opposed to assuming Covid-19 is the
wrath of God.
And lastly, hopefully we’ve moved on
from drinking mercury.
Polly, U6DJFW