“Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” – George Santayana
I spent some time earlier this week researching and gathering some information on the facts of the last major pandemic – the Spanish Flu. The Spanish flu, also known as the 1918 flu pandemic which occurred over 100 years ago, lasted from Jan 1918 to December 1920 – Almost 3 years!
This was an unusually deadly influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 influenza A virus. It infected 500 million people – about a third of the world’s population at the time. The death toll is estimated to have been anywhere from 17 million to 50 million, and possibly as high as 100 million, making it one of the deadliest pandemics in human history. While praying that the current pandemic season does not last as long, it is critical at this time to plan for the worst, pray and hope for the best.
An important measure which resulted in some countries and US states with lower casualties was the strict enforcement of social distancing! Social distancing and wearing of masks when outside must be taken very seriously, especially with the relaxation of some of the lockdowns in some countries. The tendency is when one doesn’t feel sick, one assumes they have not caught the virus. However one could be asymptomatic and unknowingly spread the virus to many more people.
I gathered that some additional ways that helped the state of New York contain the virus better than other states as the lockdown was lifted in 1918 were the three decisions that Royal S. Copeland, President of the New York City Board of Health took. These three major decisions ultimately saved a lot of lives – more 30% higher than the US average:
He coordinated with businesses to stagger working hours, recognizing that New York’s packed streets and subways could serve to spread the disease, The unconventional schedule helped eliminate the notorious rush-hour crowds (even in 1918!)
Second, Copeland established a “clearinghouse” system. He opened over 150 emergency health centers throughout the city. These clearinghouses supported local health care and tracked the incidence of the disease in different neighborhoods. The improved data collection allowed physicians to better understand critical details of the outbreak. Having the right data was critical even in 1918!
The third decision he made was, surprisingly re-open schools. He felt the children were better protected in the schools than they would be in the streets. In school, teachers and health inspectors could identify the early signs of illness and send the children for treatment. For many immigrant children, school provided a more hygienic and healthier environment than their homes. Additionally, schools could share public health information with children who would disseminate it to their parents. This system proved invaluable for keeping New Yorkers informed during the crisis.
Question: Do you think schools in your country should be re-opened sooner, rather than later?
On a different note, last week, I had an insightful and engaging session with my guest speaker – Peter Kuria Githinji – a seasoned innovation management expert. Some of the areas we covered in our conversation included:
- What is innovation in lay man’s terms.
- The components of being innovative and adding value in the larger ecosystem.
- How to ask the right questions and get the right solutions to be more innovative.
You can access the recording in my African Entrepreneurs Forum. Click here to access the full recording of the session.