Comparative Essay Example: Spanish Flu and COVID-19

In the year 2022, the word ‘pandemic’ has become nearly synonymous with COVID-19. When asked to name another large-scale pandemic, many individuals would not be able to. One of the deadliest examples would be the Spanish Flu, occurring from the spring of 1918 until it eventually became a seasonal bug in late 1919. COVID-19 and the Spanish Flu have a variety of similarities, ranging from the detrimental effects on society to public response. However, the two are vastly different in some respects such as legislation that was passed regarding diseases.  

The most noticeable similarity between the two would be the preventive measures instituted during the pandemics. Whenever COVID-19 surged in March of 2020, the world was practically shut down. Schools were closed for the remainder of the school year, small businesses closed, working hours were greatly affected, and many individuals lost their jobs. This is similar to how society reacted to the Spanish Flu, many cities imposed quarantine and recommended self-isolation. The flu also caused many businesses to shut down due to a significant number of workers suffering from the disease. During both pandemics, society was threatened greatly, and millions of people were made orphans and widows, left alone in a crazed society.  

Both have had impacts on society in a way that is different from shutting down schools and withdrawing from the world. Whenever COVID-19 began, many Asian Americans were shunned, harassed, and faced an extensive amount of discrimination due to the origins of the virus. In fact, the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism reported that hate incidents regarding Asian individuals increased 339% in 2020.   There have been a variety of unpleasant names for the virus, many of which are racial based and direct hate towards Asian citizens. Society put the blame on them due to their race, which is comparable to what Spaniards went through during the Spanish Flu. Experts recognize the flu most likely did not originate from Spain, and likely came from China or Great Britain. Even with this knowledge, the Spanish were often blamed for the original transmission of the disease, exceedingly similar to COVID being referred to as the “China Virus”. 

Public reaction to the pandemics has been similar as well, with cities and countries across the globe handling things differently. A distinct example of this would be the direct contrast of Philadelphia and St. Louis during the Spanish Flu. Dr. Wilmer Krusen of Philadelphia insisted that it was just the normal flu, and the city proceeded with a parade that involved tens of thousands of Philadelphians. This led to the disease spreading rapidly across the city, causing an immense number of cases and many deaths. Conversely, St. Louis responded in a responsible manner as they closed schools and theaters and banned public gatherings. Though what seemed tyrannical and frustrating at the time, these public safety measures led to a peak mortality rate that was just 1/8th of Philadelphia’s.  

This is very similar to how many states reacted to the pandemic, as some required facial coverings and others did not. Even to the present day many states choose to drop COVID-19 regulations while others only grow harsher in their mandates. No nationwide mandates have been enforced, which has led to varying situations in each state and thus differing COVID-19 numbers. Both responses are caused by the fact that public health is state mandated, it is the duty of the state to regulate health.  

A stark difference would be legislation and punishment regarding pandemics.  With COVID, many take mask mandates as a suggestion and will enter public spaces with little to no repercussions. This is vastly different from legislation regarding masks during the Spanish Flu, as fines and imprisonment were common punishments for violation of the laws. Government involvement has also been different regarding the two pandemics, as we can see that the Biden Administration has been very adamant in the promotion of the vaccine and ensuring news regarding the disease is spread. This is nearly the exact opposite of how governments reacted to the Spanish Flu. It was simply swept under the rug and not considered to be as dangerous and deadly as it was, as the media was consumed by the ongoing war. Throughout the duration of the pandemic, Woodrow Wilson did not address it, even though it is rumored he had the flu himself. Even as this disease was wrecking the world and tearing families apart, the war was deemed to be more important, although more soldiers died from the Spanish Flu than they did in battle.  

Two other differences would be healthcare and the affected demographic. While COVID has affected a variety of people, many young and healthy individuals recover and are able to return to a normal life. The virus is more often deadly for older individuals, but this was not the case for The Spanish Flu. While the flu affected elders and young children like most respiratory infections, it also struck down a significant number of young and healthy civilians. Some infected during the second wave in the Fall of 1918 passed mere days or hours after symptoms displayed themselves, which is fairly uncommon with COVID-19.  

A vaccine was developed quickly for COVID-19, but there was no vaccine or antivirals created for the Spanish Flu. A substantial amount of healthcare personnel were occupied with the war effort, and both of these factors significantly contributed to the death toll. Instead of administering care, doctors prescribed deadly doses of aspirin to patients which resulted in aspirin poisoning. 

When asked for a similarity between the two pandemics, many individuals would point out the deadly numbers the two have. However, it is very difficult to compare the numbers due to population increase and unreliable medical records. 

Around 675,000 Americans lost their lives to the Spanish Flu, while nearly a million have died due to COVID. Yet, these numbers are not comparable since the population was a third of what it is now.  

What is important to recognize is that behind the numbers of both are people who lost their lives to a raging virus. The viruses destroyed families, wrecked social life for many, and broke society into a million pieces. Communities were left to pick up the pieces and rebuild themselves, their children, and the world. The differences between COVID-19 and the Spanish Flu are a matter of legislation, demographics and healthcare, topics that change as society grows and advances. The similarities are mainly societal, focusing on the prejudice against other groups and how the world responded. The Spanish Flu and COVID-19 are two of the most devastating epidemics in recent history, characterized by grief, public outcry, guilt, and blame.