NewsPronto

 
Men's Weekly

.

USA Conversation

The Conversation USA

The Conversation USA

10 misconceptions about the 1918 flu, the 'greatest pandemic in history'

  • Written by Richard Gunderman, Chancellor's Professor of Medicine, Liberal Arts, and Philanthropy, Indiana University
U.S. Red Cross volunteers in 1918.Apic/Getty Images

Pandemic: It’s a scary word.

But the world has seen pandemics before, and worse ones, too. Consider the influenza pandemic of 1918, often referred to erroneously as the “Spanish flu.” Misconceptions about it may be fueling unfounded fears about COVID-19, and now is an especially...

Read more: 10 misconceptions about the 1918 flu, the 'greatest pandemic in history'

More Articles ...

  1. Experts agree that Trump's coronavirus response was poor, but the US was ill-prepared in the first place
  2. Telecommuting could curb the coronavirus epidemic
  3. What coronavirus symptoms should I look for, and when do I call the doctor? A doctor answers 4 questions
  4. Mubarak's lasting legacy on Egypt's Coptic Christians
  5. Reports of the death of congressional oversight are greatly exaggerated
  6. How to talk to someone you believe is misinformed about the coronavirus
  7. Netflix's 'Self-Made' miniseries about Madam C.J. Walker leaves out the mark she made through generosity
  8. Prosecutors are increasingly – and misleadingly – using rap lyrics as evidence in court
  9. Should Trump shut down the stock market? 4 questions answered
  10. St. Patrick’s Day: A time to toast ... your liver
  11. St. Patrick’s Day: A time to toast ... your liver and how it deals with green beer
  12. The Fed will have to do a lot more than cut rates to zero to stop Wall Street's coronavirus panic
  13. Fear can spread from person to person faster than the coronavirus – but there are ways to slow it down
  14. Pete Buttigieg's coded language shows the limits and promise of LGBTQ progress
  15. On the front lines of developing a test for the coronavirus
  16. Social distancing comes with social side effects – here's how to stay connected
  17. What Islamic hygienic practices can teach when coronavirus is spreading
  18. Closing polling places is the 21st century's version of a poll tax
  19. Coronavirus: Three lessons from the AIDS crisis
  20. Barr isn't the first powerful official to defy the courts and risk legitimizing contempt for the law
  21. Vodka won't protect you from coronavirus, and 4 other things to know about hand sanitizer
  22. Online learning will be hard for kids whose schools close – and the digital divide will make it even harder for some of them
  23. Social distancing: What it is and why it's the best tool we have to fight the coronavirus
  24. America's poorest children won't get nutritious meals with school cafeterias closed due to the coronavirus
  25. Why don't viruses make their original hosts sick? 5 questions answered
  26. Biden and Trump agree on strong US-Israel relations – Bernie, not so much
  27. Coronavirus could hit homeless hard, and that could hit everyone hard
  28. Biden and Trump agree on strong US-Israel relations – Sanders, not so much
  29. Coronavirus, kids and school closings: A public health expert answers 4 questions
  30. The oil shock of 2020 appears to be here – and the pain could be wide and deep
  31. The coronavirus will delay agricultural export surges promised in trade deal with China
  32. Coronavirus and tourism: Places like Alaska without a severe COVID-19 outbreak could still be devastated
  33. This isn't the first time sports teams have played in eerily empty arenas
  34. Lessons on wrangling candidates from the masterful moderator of presidential debates, Jim Lehrer
  35. Julius Caesar refused to be crowned king
  36. Plagues follow bad leadership in ancient Greek tales
  37. How coronavirus is upsetting the blood supply chain
  38. How does the coronavirus test work? 5 questions answered
  39. Why a Roman philosopher's views on the fear of death matter as coronavirus spreads
  40. Coronavirus control measures aren't pointless – just slowing down the pandemic could save millions of lives
  41. The first fireside chat calmed an anxious nation and provides a model for today
  42. How the fireside chat provided a model for calming the nation that President Trump failed to follow
  43. What to expect as colleges and universities move classes online amid coronavirus fears: 4 questions answered
  44. Biden's win shows the power of Democratic moderates
  45. The new coronavirus is hitting colleges and universities hard, but donors can help
  46. Ancient bird skull found in amber was tiny predator in the time of giant dinosaurs
  47. Biden's big night with moderates, African Americans and Baby Boomers
  48. Why public universities are chasing rich kids from out of state
  49. There's plenty of toilet paper in the US – so why are people hoarding it?
  50. Can gambling juice fandom for women's sports?