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History and Anthropology
Documentary: Influenza 1918
Paty Valiente
Date
In 1918 the influenza pandemic killed several people and was cited as the most devastating epidemic that is recorded in history and is known as a global disaster. The virus spread through the exhalation of respiratory droplets of the infected person. The war provided perfect conditions for the spread of the virus because, during war young males, military personnel used to live in close quarters with several other troops. This proximity combined with malnutrition and immense stress of the war resulted in a weak immune system of the soldiers that in turn allowed the virus to spread like wildfire. Not only in the quarters of military personnel but overcrowding in the hospitals also provided an ideal environment for the spread of the virus.
Due to the severity of an epidemic, the US economy faced a huge set back economically. This was because of the shortage of workers. However, due to a shortage, many females were coming out of their homes to get a job. Thus, this helped women in obtaining social and financial independence. Another issue that was highlighted during the epidemic was a lack of healthcare facilities. There were no vaccinations to treat the infected people and to accommodate a large number of people in the hospital was a huge task. This burden jeopardizes health care provision to the people, especially to the immigrants.
The influenza pandemic inspired development in the field of science as many scientists started to find a cure for this disease. This led to the invention of vaccinations that help to combat the disease. Although, the war provided favorable conditions for the disease spread yet the lack of awareness was another factor due to which the virus was spread like wildfire. Due to this many health care practitioners were more focused on spreading awareness among people on how to protect themselves in a situation like this.
Bibliography
The Best Film Archives. 2019. The 1918 Influenza Pandemic In America | Struggle Against The Spanish Flu | Documentary. Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0juBE-ra3A.
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