How Did Spanish Flu (1918 Pandemic) End And What Can We Learn From History?

With COVID-19 pandemic severely affecting the lives of people, we can't imagine a life beyond the pandemic yet. Whether it¡¯s medical, economical or psychological, the toll on human life is enormous.

However, this isn¡¯t the first global epidemic our world has experienced. In 1918, our world saw another grave pandemic -- the infamous Spanish Flu -- that as per estimates, claimed lives of over 50 million people around the world.

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The Spanish Flu -- something that started as just regular flu in the US -- spread to the whole of Europe and eventually the world causing catastrophic damage to the lives of millions from 1918 to 1920.

However, what¡¯s surprising is that the condition we¡¯re experiencing today isn¡¯t very different from what the world experienced nearly a century ago, according to historians Laura and Maria Lara Martinez, in a conversation with Euronews.

How Spanish Flu (1918 Pandemic) began?

The Spanish flu also started as a ¡®minor cold¡¯, but in no time it completely took over and put immense loads on the medical systems in nations.

Just like today, during the Spanish Flu pandemic, schools, theatres were shut and lockdowns were laid out. Commonly touched surfaces were asked to be disinfected, and people were asked to wear a mask with penalisation for people stepping out without one.

How did Spanish Flu (1918 Pandemic) spread?

While the first cases of Spanish Flu emerged in the US, it was Spain that experienced most of its devastating impact.

According to the historian Jaume Claret Miranda, the matters got worse after authorities didn¡¯t cancel San Isidro festivities, despite warnings and as the festivities ended, around May 22, newspapers were flooded with news of people falling ill with the flu and the term ¡®Spanish Flu¡¯ surfaced.

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No Spanish Flu vaccine or tests

According to Lara Martinez sisters, at the time Spanish Flu was wreaking havoc in the world, doctors didn¡¯t have access to the kind of medicine and advancement in medical science as we have.

There was no vaccine, or tests or proper treatment that could help the patients. Everyone was trying whatever they could to see what worked in stopping the deadly Spanish Flu disease.

Spanish Flu's second wave killed more people

After the first wave of cases of Spanish Flu pandemic got cured, relaxations came into place. And with people thinking that the pandemic was over, they started living their lives like they used to.

However, soon after the second wave of Spanish Flu cases started emerging and it got way worse. Even with the current COVID-19 pandemic, the fear of a second wave is highlighted by experts.

In Spain, the pandemic came right at the time of harvests and celebrations in the month of September. The outbreak continued throughout winters. Jaume Claret Miranda said in a statement with the Conversation that some places also experienced a third wave of cases in the early 1920s.

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Spanish Flu: Herd immunity

Eventually, the frequency of the cases of Spanish Flu saw a gradual decline as people started developing herd immunity -- a phenomenon where more number of people in a community get infected, and in the process of recovery, develop antibodies against the virus.

It's what's being hoped today as well with COVID-19, where recovered patient's body would make them immune, and with them being immune, people who never got COVID-19 would automatically get saved from contracting the novel coronavirus.

Researchers have been waiting for herd immunity to get activated in our current fight with COVID-19 too, however, many claim that there is still time for that to happen.

How Spanish Flu Ended?

The Spanish Flu pandemic eventually phased out by 1920 -- taking nearly two years and stringent amount of social distancing. However, what¡¯s surprising is that the Spanish Flu hasn¡¯t really disappeared from our world. The cases keep on popping every now and then, but in isolated instances never spiralling out of control to reach its previous pandemic level.

According to Dr Benito Almirante, head of infectious diseases at the Vall d'Hebron hospital in Barcelona, "Traces of the same virus have been found in other flu viruses. The Spanish flu continued to appear, mutating and acquiring genetic material from other viruses."

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The 2009 flu was even found to contain genetic elements from earlier viruses where the older generation were better protected than the younger ones.

In the end, what we need to learn from the Spanish Flu is that we still have time till herd immunity kicks (if it ever does or if it is as effective as we want it to be) in and reduces the intensity of novel coronavirus. Till then we need to follow social distancing, inculcating a habit of wearing a mask and only stepping out when absolutely necessary.

Just like Spanish Flu, scientists claim we might never really get rid of COVID-19, but with vaccination and treatments in the near future, we might very well learn to live with it.