Spanish Flu: A Warning From History
"Civilization, the orderly world in which we live, is frail. We are skating on thin ice. There is a fear of a collective disaster. Terrorism, genocide, flu, tsunamis.
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After the first World War, a flu pandemic, infamously known as the Spanish Flu, swept the world and killed 50 to 100 million people. What can history teach us about pandemic flu and Covid-19?
About the film
To mark the centenary and to highlight vital scientific research, in 2018 the University of Cambridge made a film called Spanish Flu, a Warning From History. The film explores what we have learnt about Spanish Flu, the urgent threat posed by influenza today, and how scientists have prepared for future pandemics like the Coronavirus.
The Spanish Flu Was The Deadliest Pandemic In History
The influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 killed more people than World War One. It has been cited as the most devastating epidemic in recorded world history. Although it was less lethal than the Black Death (Bubonic Plague) that ran from 1347 to 1351 with a mortality rate of 30%, the Spanish Flu took advantage of the world’s high mobility during and after World War One; it therefore, spread like wildfire.
