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May 6, 2020 · In 1918, advanced masks like the N95s that healthcare workers use today were a long way off. Surgical masks were made of gauze, and many people’s flu masks were made of gauze too.
- Becky Little
- 6 min
Sep 1, 2023 · Masks were not used widely and well enough to make much of a difference, but public health authorities tended to believe in their effectiveness for front line workers exposed to the worst of the flu pandemic.
Aug 3, 2020 · The masks were called muzzles, germ shields and dirt traps. They gave people a “pig-like snout.” Some people snipped holes in their masks to smoke cigars. Others fastened them to dogs in...
May 12, 2020 · Masks failed in 1918 to control the spread of influenza, but lessons learned from this epidemic should inspire us to wear masks in response to COVID-19.
Apr 15, 2020 · Responses instead focused on containing its spread. One of the most commonly promoted pieces of advice was to wear a mask. The scale of the disease created mass panic. Churches and schools were closed, while local businesses and services that remained opened struggled with staff shortages.
Jul 16, 2020 · While some of the masks were made of improper material or were not used properly, most provided some level of protection against transmission by blocking droplets from the nose and mouth.
Apr 3, 2020 · Did mask wearing work? During the 1918 flu pandemic, scientific research around mask use was still largely anecdotal – and the compelling story of one ocean liner caught people’s...
