How to Survive a Flu Pandemic — Lessons from 1918–1919

Although we have made advances in the development of vaccines and antiviral agents, an influenza pandemic would probably overwhelm our capacity to produce and distribute these materials. Attention is now being paid to other interventions to control a pandemic — for example, school closure and isolation and quarantine. How effective would such measures be? To address this question, investigators systemically reviewed historical data on the 1918–1919 influenza pandemic.

Using census reports and public health records, the researchers gathered information on weekly pneumonia and influenza mortality rates and nonpharmaceutical interventions undertaken in 43 large U.S. cities from September 8, 1918, through February 22, 1919. During this 24-week p…