Hi, my name is Lizabeth Romo.
>> And I Mia Dovalina.
And today we're gonna talk about the spread of the Spanish flu in the media
that covered it.
Yeah, we're going to explore how the US, and international media coverage, or
lack thereof, influence the reactions of the public and
how the spread of the news reflects the tendency of people and
governments to associate the virus to foreign countries.
The Spanish flu pandemic of 1918, is known as the deadliest in history.
It affected 1/3 of the planet's population and
killed an estimated 20-50 million victims worldwide.
It was first detected in Europe, the United States and
parts of Asia before spreading swiftly around the world.
Its origin is unknown, and even though it was not isolated to in place,
it became known as the Spanish flu.
The name suggests that the outbreak occurred in Spain, however,
this was not the case.
Nations that were involved in World War 1 did not accurately report their cases in
order in order to protect the morale of both their citizens and their soldiers.
However, Spain did not hesitate to reported flu cases since it remained
neutral throughout the war,
which caused people to believe that it originated there.
When the spread of influenza began in 1918, many countries suppressed the news.
And in many places such as Great Britain, the government stopped the publishing of
articles by labeling them as going against the national interest.
Wartime press censorship occurred in almost every country involved in the war,
especially during the first wave,
when people believe that the flu was not a huge threat to public health and safety.
The suppression of news and the lack of case reports continued throughout
the second wave despite being far more serious than the first.
Although there was an increasing number of individuals that became ill wearing,
nations continue to try and hide the severity of the flu.
Many troops were experiencing outbreaks but were forced to hide them
due to the fear of being attacked in such a vulnerable state.
Although it is not confirmed, it is likely that newspapers in the United States were
self censored or unable to publish reports due to the 1918 Sedition Act.
This act made it a crime to say right or published anything that was perceived as
negative about the government or that could interfere with the war effort.
Whether or not this played a part in the lack of news coverage,
most US newspapers failed to accurately portray the severity of the flu and
the rate at which was spreading.
The virus continue to spread rapidly as a result of the war effort,
movement of troops, parade rallies and other gatherings that were held for
patriotic purposes.
Doctors attempted to warn the public that these gatherings were unsafe,
the newspaper editors refused to publish their concerns.
Proper news coverage of the Spanish flu didn't occur until the magnitude of
the crisis became too large to overlook.
Health officials eventually use the press to give out medical advice and
to inform citizens on how they can prevent exposure.
While there is a lot of research that suggests that newspapers failed to
accurately portray the severity of the flu from the moment it began,
this coverage varies between nations and between states.
Research also suggests that some newspapers carry daily accounts
of the effects of the pandemic.
However, people were more interested in the war or they underestimated the effects
of the virus because they believe it to be like any other seasonal flu.
Despite the extensive coverage of the progress of the flu, many people show
little concern about the outbreak due to what is called cognitive inertia,
which is essentially the refusal to give up on beliefs despite evidence.
So although there were many cases being reported and
newspapers eventually published multiple warnings.
People that resided in unaffected areas viewed the outbreak of something mild due
to their experiences with other seasonal viruses.
Ultimately, the flu was a danger that was realized far too late,
whether it be attributed ignorance or misunderstanding.
Worldwide, there was a sense of unpreparedness,
they were lacking organization after the constraint of the war.
And although it was a concerning issue, many US military and
government officials downplay the flu and
even declined to implement health measures that would help slow its spread.
This continue continuous denial allowed the Spanish flu to spread quicker than
anticipated.
>> Infectious diseases are often named in association with foreign countries or
specific populations,
a tendency that is reflected in the name of the 1918 influenza pandemic.
Despite unknown origins, the association of the flew to Spain resulted any rational
fear and gave rise to xenophobia as part of the pandemic response.
Naming a virus after specific people, places or animals can be understood as
a strategy to either promote fear or to reassure the public that they are safe.
The Spanish flu is an example of how the name of a virus can be dangerous and
result in a false sense of security.
Ultimately, the fear of contracting a disease goes hand
in hand with xenophobia and the logical responses to a pandemic.
These are our references, thank you so much for watching.