As the COVID-19 pandemic flares across the globe, scientists and historians assess the mitigation measures implemented to fight the Spanish Flu of 1918 that killed between 50 to 100 million people. The concern is if action is not taken, COVID-19 will surpass historical severity.
Considering the increased connectivity, globalization, and urbanization in the modern world, humanity finds itself confronting a unique predicament regarding containment. Simply, there are too many people to quarantine, and constant interaction ultimately leaves the virus to spread like wildfire.
In a study of US cities during 1918 and 1919, cities that enacted strict social distancing and quarantine enforcement experienced death rates 50 percent less than cities that did not. Also, relaxing these measures often resulted in a second wave of infections equally as strong as the first. At its climax, San Fransisco, California saw 673 deaths per 100,000 and weeks after effective mitigation prompted ease of enforcement, a second wave half as strong as the first wave occurred. However, sparing these cities from greater catastrophe was early, proactive responses to the Influenza pandemic.
Today, countries reacted swiftly upon the news in China, and now must navigate and pursue modern quarantine methods. It is also the responsibility of individuals to practice social distancing.
How American Medical Compliance can help
American Medical Compliance recognizes the challenges everyone is facing during these times and offers healthcare providers with training modules to reduce communal infection and protect patients and staff.
AMC is offering our Infection Control COVID-19 Training course for Healthcare Providers for Free.
Please see the link below and feel free to pass this on to everyone you know in Healthcare.
https://americanmedicalcompliance.com/_covid_19/#/
A certificate of completion is provided at the end of the module to verify training.
Read more about how cities flattened the curve in 1918 here:
How some cities ‘flattened the curve’ during the 1918 flu pandemic. (2020, March 27) Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/2020/03/how-cities-flattened-curve-1918-spanish-flu-pandemic-coronavirus/#close
