Spanish Flu Pandemic Of 1918 Essay

The Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918–1920 was one of “the most destructive influenza outbreaks in history and one of the most severe disease pandemics ever encountered” and had a significant effect on society due to its impact on health care and other important aspects of life (Britannica 2023). Millions of people died because of the Spanish flu in the 20th century, making it one of the deadliest pandemics in global history. The Flu resulted in a large impact on public health as well as the economy of many nations, as it dismantled and altered many economies worldwide. As a result of poor treatments and vaccines that were available and safe to the public at the time, the Spanish Flu solidified itself as one of the deadliest pandemics in global

The Flu had a brief time in between infection and the showing of symptoms, also known as an incubation period, particularly shown among young adults. Due to a lack of public health measures to stop the virus’s spread, it was difficult for governments and medical experts to react and respond to the outbreak effectively. The living conditions and circumstances of many people, which were unsafe, cramped, and unsanitary, also contributed to the difficulty in controlling the virus's spread, as the lack of cleanliness at the time promoted the virus’s spread. It is estimated that “it caused as many as 40–50 million deaths” as a result of the Spanish Flu by the end of 1918, and overall affected hundreds of millions globally (Britannica 2023). As a result of so many people getting sick or dying while caring for the sick, the high mortality rate of the Spanish Flu also contributed to a shortage of healthcare professionals that were killed off while tending to those who were infected. The lack of health care professionals and workers increased the burden already being placed on the hospital system. At the time, there were no effective antiviral drugs or vaccines available to cure or stop the virus' spread as researchers weren't able to isolate and study the virus until the 1930s. The research conducted then allowed for the creation of modern virology and advancements in vaccine research which we use and improve in our modern world