COVID-19: How can we avoid a repeat of Spanish Flu History of 1918?

In beautiful Prague city, the Czechs republic ‘s capital, a massive party was conducted on 30th Jun 2024. This party is to give COVID-19 a “symbolic farewell”. The city’s historical Charles Bridge, on Vltava river, has been transformed into massive dinner party  venue with 600 metres long table, with music, dance & all this different things of a great sunny summer European party going to have.  Czechs with 10 mln citizens have recorded 1200 instances & 350 demises. Even on the day party is going on 1 human passed away & 149 new instances are recorded. 

 

Almost everybody on planet earth would like to be part of such party to mark the end of the infection.  However, is it realistic to believe what Czechs need to belive?  (or) it’s nowhere near that reality.

WHO, the officer global body supervising the Epidemic, just couple of days back alerted that Epidemic is not even close to being over & alerted that  the worst is yet to come. That 1 is real, Czechs (or) WHO. It’s not tough for numerous nations that 1 is close to reality.

Around the Atlantic,  in USA, in the Senate hearing, the nation’s top expert on Infection, Dr. Faucci, delivered a caveat announcement that  it’d not be surprising in case daily infections in USA would go as many as 100,000. On 30th Jun, USA recorded 46,042 new instances. It’s important to note, it taken nearly 40 days of 1st recorded complaint in USA to approach 100,000 instances. China where the whole thing originated had just over 80,000 instances. The maximum no. of instances in any day in  China never exceeded over 4000. So USA, just 1 nation alone reporting 10 times higher than a single day China recorded.  USA, the most strong nation within the globe, with its economic, military & political power had come to its knees because of this invisible tiny Infection, that has been dismissed by its president in not long back. Never before in biography, USA has been faced such exceptional status. The Coronavirus is the most strong weapon any country ever faced in previous biography.

The western Europe,  somehow, wriggled out it, at the least for as of now. After massive number of deaths & infections, just as of now gradually  limping return to “new regular”.  Still economy shattered, the fears are lingering however for the boarders are being reopened. Health experts are supervising & cautioning  each day that the 2nd wave can come. Still some of the infections are going on each day in all this nations,  however significantly lowered numbers & health infra-structure is extra (or) less intact & prepared in case & when 2nd wave comes. At the least that is the confidence they’re exhibiting for the people usage. Czechs song & dance party in Prague want to be witnessed in that broader context.

Global status

As on 1st Jul, world-wide over 1.One cr citizens were contaminated & regarding 5.20 lakh citizens have passed away. The only great information, in case 1 need to look in this epidemic is that, extra citizens, regarding 60 lakh have got (1) the infection & recovered. World-wide just over 8% of citizens who got (1), might meet the demise.  Each day over 200,000 new instances are being recorded with daily demises of over 5000 a day. This is over all this demises in China, where the infection originated.

Status in India(In)

India(In), by this time this is posted, most probably, the overall instances may approach over Six lakhs & nation might surpass Russia to be in 3rd place only after USA & Brazil. The demises might still be under 20,000. This itself is not bad, looking in the different nations. However there is an problem with India(In), our checking is far below that what it must be & our reporting of demise, in case not deliberately, is far fewer than what’s happening within the nation. For example, India(In) has till now tested 88 lakh tests out that Six lakhs have been positive. This works out regarding 640 tests per lakh of public. Where as USA & Russia that are demonstrating extra instances than India(In) tested 10, 322 & 13, 400 citizens per every 1 lakh of public. That means they tested 16 to 20 times extra tests. So in case India(In) has finished that numerous tests in its public, once could imagine the actual instances in our public. It’s not far from reality  to say that, India(In), probably, is on top of the list had it tested even half of USA & Russia has tested. Checking itself won’t cure, that going to support in prevent remaining to gain it, so that information as aren’t too fast to disrupt the health system.. Well, surely we’ve our own issues of resources & logistics up to different nations, however surely we could accelerate the checking, in order to prevent its quick spreading. So once again, India(In) must as of now discuss that it’s having extra instances than any nation, in realistic sense & begin dealing that way.

Still our numbers both the infection infections & demises are low when compared to public basis. For example, getting return to Czechs who celebrating, our numbers both the instances & demises are just about 1 3rd.  Fortunately, our demise rates are certainly low. Even in case 1 discusses the demises recorded are far lower than what the actual status on the field, still numbers are low. However that mightn’t be the status in coming weeks & mos. The worry is that these numbers are quickly going up & our people health system might come under too much pressure to point of breakdown, that has to be avoided.

Awhile Prague is celebrating, probably pre-maturely, in India(In) media is reporting the early signs of  the breakdown of health  system. 2 particular incidents recorded on 1st Jul are quite disturbing a) A young person publishing his own dying sms from a hospital (3) to his own dad, that is heart breaking.  He pointed out that there is no ventilator for him & he’s unable to breath. He recorded to have passed away just 10 minutes after he published that video footage to his own dad who’s outdoor of hospital (3).  B) The records of 18 passed bodies tossed into a pit  with photograph flashed on front pages of news papers in Karnataka(KA). A video footage is recorded to be going about social media(SM). These are just examples, however countrywide multiple records are coming in regarding the inadequate medical facilities to cope with existing status. Doctors are stressed, the equipment is not there & citizens are scared to go to hospital (3). These are early signs of system come to breaking point, awhile the rich & popular, in case they’ve amount could go to private hospitals in case not for best medication at the least best facilities & dignity.

There is already panic within the air. There is talk of 2nd lock-down, in case not countrywide, a limited. This is sufficient to send the shockwaves. The memory of exodos only witnessed throughout partition has been witnessed around the country. The migrant labour walking large number of kilometers have deeply scarred our domestic conscious. In case similar (or) even lesser exit happens from cities to villages by this labour, the system  might result in full breakdown leading degradation to social,  family (4), moral & religious values that are deeply binding us as of now. When societies face such unfamiliar & unpredictable crises, like this, the person values going to collapse. That can happen quite fast.

Are we as country & citizens, equipped to cope with anything remotely close to what had happened in 1918?. This may not happen, however still are we in position to even know what the worst scenario may seem like?

What happened in 1918: Going to biography repeat?

Certainly let’s hope & be confident that it’ll not repeat. However  we at the least want to  really know what really happened in similar status in 1918. Majority of us,  not just in India(In), however world-wide accomplish really know even remotely the magnetite of destruction caused by similar infection a century back. The 1918 influenza has been the deadliest normal disaster in person biography. The following passage from a book summarises.

“Awhile the war still raged, along had come an outburst of the H1N1 influenza infection that would inflict higher casualties than the war itself, from Europe to Africa, from that Pacific to the Arctic, from India(In) to Norway. 10 to 20 percent of those contaminated passed away, a 3rd of the globe’s public. Up to 25 mln are believed to have perished during this 1st twenty-five weeks of the pandemic, leading historians to refer to Spanish flu as the biggest medical holocaust in biography, killing over the Black Demise. In India(In), 17 mln are estimated to have passed away, 13.88 mln of these in British India(In). In Africa, Two percent of the overall public has been wiped out,”

Furthermore

““During this devastating 2nd wave of the pandemic, that started within the summer of 1918, sufferers collapsed within the streets, haemorrhaging from lungs & nose. Their own skin changed dark blue with the characteristic ‘heliotrope cyanosis’ caused by oxygen failure as their own lungs filled with pus, & they gasped for breath from ‘air-hunger’, like landed fish.”

Excerpt From: Catharine Arnold. “Epidemic 1918”.

Afterwards it didn’t spare even rich & popular. It’s not the for the first time British PM, a shocking similarity of 2024, in 1918, afterwards British PM David Lloyd George  got (1) the influenza when he went to  Manchester on 11th Sep for a facilitation. That has been kept it as secret. He recovered sufficient to return London after 10 days on 21st Sep.

This is where 1 has to be careful in reading dreadful comparisons & parallels of the century back incidents. Similar infection, the Spanish influenza struck the globe in 1918. India(In) made payment heavy cost. The majority of the following passages are from 2 books

a) “PANDEMIC 1918” by Catharine Arnold posted in 2018,

b) The Spanish Influenza Epidemic of 1918–19, ed. Howard Phillips & David Killingray, Routledge Studies within the Social Biography of Medicine, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2003, Chapter on ‘Coping with the Influenza Epidemic: The Bombay Experience’ by  Mridula Ramanna,

Quite quite a few of us really know that Gandhi our dad of country got (1) it. His own own daughter-in-law & her young son passed away to influenzas. Gandhi himself wrote to his own son Harilal from hospital (3) that his own heart is in peace & so “I don’t locate going in all tough” Gandhi ji has been 49 afterwards. Praja Bandhu magazine wrote “Mr Gandhi’s personal life doesn’t pertain to him – it belongs to India(In)” in order to stress doctors to accomplish all in order to give care & help to Gandhi ji.

Each quite a few of us really know these historic facts. It’s important to re-call some facts written regarding this deadly influenza & what it’s finished to our nation a century back. It’s also important that, biography shouldn’t repeat because of carelessness & complacency. Quite quite a few of Indians even aware that 1 estimate put that,  afterwards 6% of public, close to Two crores of citizens passed away in that influenza. Shockingly there have been parallels that are spine chilling. Some are:

  • The 1st patient passed away in Feb 1918 in Haskell County, rural Kansas(KS), USA. The Dr. Loring Miner, who treater her imagined it has been “knock me down fever”, a regional slang for common cold that usually go far away in 2 3 days. That each fever, really knocked the globe killing at the least 30 mln citizens, some of the estimate even 100 mln over yr.. Majority of the demises happened in 24 weeks.
  • Apr 1918 from USA it approached France with US solders afterwards part of globe 1.
  • 1st wave of Influenza approached Bombay (as of now Mumbai (Bombay)) on 10 th Jun. J.A Turner, the colonial health official of Bombay mentioned that “believed that the outburst had originated with the crew of a ship that had docked in Bombay in the end of May (1918)” however where as the Colonial Govt blamed it on poverty-stricken sanitation of Indians.
  • The demise rate  in Bombay climbed to 239 by 3rd Jul 1918. Times of India(In) wrote “nearly each home in Bombay has some of the of its inmates down with fever & each workplace is bewailing the crunch of clerks”
  • In 4 weeks in Jun a overall of 1600 citizens passed away in Bombay &  ‘at the least a mln functioning days, an incalculable number of discomfort, expense & inconvenience’. The pandemic has been confined to those functioning indoors, in offices & factories. The sickness rate in offices & mills has been Europeans 25 percent, Indians 33 percent, & kids 55 percent.” Kids have been part of the workforce afterwards in colonial time. Turner, the medical official of Bombay recorded to have stated  ‘like a thief within the night, its onset quick, & insidious”
  • Mahatma Gandhi survived however country made payment heavy cost. We really know little of our biography, Gandhi Got (1) & survived however not his own daughter-in-law & her young son. “The other popular leader almost perished in the hands of the Spanish Lady on Two Oct 1918. Following the demise of his own daughter in law & her young son from influenza, the forty-nine-year-old Mahatma Gandhi started to show signs of the disease. Spanish flu also raged within the Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad, where Gandhi had retreated for meditation & prayer. By this time Gandhi were confessed to hospital (3) in Bombay waiting an operation for boils & suffering from dysentery, he has been rejecting all medication. Unlike the most of sufferers, Gandhi had resigned himself to his own imminent demise.”
  • Gandhi  survived the Spanish influenza & he wrote ““Even after we feel that we’ve recovered, we should continue to take (2) full rest in bed & have only easily digestible liquid meal. So early as on the 3rd day after the fever has subsided numerous people reopen their own work (5) & their own usual diet. The result is a relapse & quite frequently a fatal relapse”
  • “The Associated Press recorded that the Hooghly River has been ‘choked with bodies’, & ‘streets & lanes of India(In)’s cities are littered with the passed. Hospitals are so choked, it’s impossible to delete the passed to make room for the dying. Burning ghats & burial grounds are literally piled with corpses”
  • The Govt of India(In) afterwards record said “Usually of Spanish flu, the disease has been fatal amongst the 10 to forty age crowd, & extra ladies passed away than people. In overall, about 17 mln citizens passed away of Spanish flu between Jun & Dec 1918. Bombay suffered terribly. Between 10 Sep & 10 Nov 1918, the overall mortality has been 20,258. This has been made worse by this failure of the south west monsoon & resultant crop failure. As a result, Bombay had to cope with an influx of migrants from dists suffering from ‘scarcity & dearness of meal’. In Ahmedabad, 3,527 passed away, the largest mortality being amongst the lower castes, who have been both ‘poverty-stricken & underprivileged”

These are actually shocking, it’s tough to believe that this happened in India(In). However it has been global like what’s going on. It didn’t spare any nation.

Is infection finished with humans in 2024?. Probably not yet. It’s summer, hope the summer of 1918 is not going to repeat even in tiny  way. However we want to be cautious, what that means?. At the least we want to be aware & accomplish whatever we could accomplish, whatever little to protect us & protect remaining. This is not the time for political mileages (or) pointing the figures. We could’t alter fundamentals of our governance (or) politics. As civil community, we all want to at the least develop in small way, in tiny way to make difference. No issue just how much we’re crucial of what’s going on, probably, it’s not going to support. Similarly no issue just how much look back into biography, it mightn’t support. Biography must be contributing to cope with current status than scaring (or) de-moralising. However we want to at the least be aware, what the worst possible scenario might be. This is to accomplish our  own small contribution in reducing the pain & suffering of fellow person beings. Communities want gain together to protect, help & convenience every different. In India(In) it’s quite important, no issue what our critism may be, it’s greatly unlikely that our institutions going to significantly enhance in short circular. We want to give help to our medical employees, we want to encourage them in what they’re doing. This is not the time to be crucial of their own shortcomings. The big query is could every 1 of us accomplish something. Probably we could.

What could civil community accomplish?

This is all description of issue. Plenty of us are doing on daily basis for last 4 mos in India(In). However the query we want to inquire ourselves, is there anything could be finished, within the even of in case not same, similar status arises. Hopefully not, however could modern India(In) develop itself for such repeat of biography. As on today, it appears, the infection is not over yet, at the least in India(In). It’s just starting. There is nothing unfair to develop for the worst scenario. Obviously, the Govts with its massive machinery, resources & mandate want to develop. However media, civil community & Independent experts could suggest practical & doable steps. Here suggest is the emphasis. Till now, it appear, there is no process for any dialog (or) conversation in order to take (2) inputs from out side of Govt system. Quickly Govts, particularly state Govts may establish such process to at the least listen to some views outdoor of their own Govt machinery.

Particular simple & doable things.

Civil community initiatives

There have been large number of citizens who actually need to accomplish something to support the status. However there is no particular way they could channel their own time & skills to make small difference. Civil community could accomplish a lot & some simple ideas are introduced here. They’re just ideas & it’s value discussing  & similar things (or) even best things could also be recommended. In case every 1 of us are part of at the least 1 thing, just 1 thing, the status might be less agonising. We all may be watching video clips & publishing messages, however query is could we accomplish something? In our own time, means some of the simple things.. Probably we could accomplish something. 1st we want to agree on issue that we could something regarding.

Some of the of us could think of some of the of these simple, however pertinent problems faced on daily basis by numerous citizens in Telangana (TL).

Issue (or) problem no.1.

Majority of the citizens aren’t aware what to accomplish in complaint they suspect that they (or) their own loved ones (or) friends have COVID-10. What must they accomplish, what’s the 1st step.

Issue/ Problem no. 2.

In case someone managed to join a Hospital (3) need to talk to someone for consolation (or) convenience, is it possible for him to call someone from Hospital (3) bed. This is not for medical advice (or) complains, just comforting.

Issue/ Problem no. 3.

Someone tested positive(+ve), however don’t have signs, what must that human accomplish, just how to gain isolated, just how to prevent spreading infection, what steps to be take (2). Apart from advise the human might gain from medical employees, is it possible to approach out to someone for convenience, 2nd see on informal basis?

These problems look quite simple, however these are the most crucial 1 for someone who’s in that status. Surely, citizens who could accomplish best & extra important things they could accomplish it. I’m sure numerous are doing. However those who with limited time & resources could attend in such simple things that going to be quite useful to numerous citizens on daily basis facing such problems.

The Procedure

Some of the young techie reading this article could set up a on-line helpline (or) WA helpline, the people who want could call & gain support. Setting up is relatively easy, however what’s needed able to continue  the service, for that a committed voluntaries are needed. There going to be large number of citizens who might register to to support given, they’re guided what they could accomplish & could’t accomplish. Also the volunteers want support when they need in order to service best. I don’t have evident picture of just how to set up such systems however sure some of the citizens accomplish really know regarding it. They want to take (2) initiative to set up the procedure.

In case young & brilliant readers who’s skills & some of the computer resources may be able to set up the ability. to accomplish that, some of the of them may come together & work (5) out the information before beginning it. The crowd may debate a) 1st locate out may be there have been such facilities already set up by remaining, in place of re-inventing the wheel, maybe we could join them b) what’s that needed to set up such crowd, in case it’s not existing c) what are the restrictions d) just how numerous volunteers are needed, what type e) just how to co-ordinate effectively and so on.

In case a state-wide service is not possible may be small region could be serviced, adhering to that small region & servicing best afterwards extending after it’s success & in case the insist is exceeding the capability..

Set up zoom crowd to debate all this problems of such teams before beginning. This procedure could be finished in under a week (or) even less.

During this procedure some of the different best & even extra useful ideas may emerge.

Let’s accomplish our bit. Let’s not end up commentators on the video clips that are being circulated. Let’s be part of the resolution. Infection is not going to far away. Govts have their own own restrictions, in place of crucial of their own measures each day & gain de-moralised, let’s be part of the resolution in quite tiny & small way. We could’t solve all this issues, however we could accomplish small resolution to a big issue.