What did they try to constrain the Spanish flu in 1918?

Spanish flu pandemic that swept the globe in 1918 was caused by the deadly strain of influenza. It tended to strike those aged between 20 and 30, with strong immune systems.

The actions taken by governments and individuals to prevent the spread of infection have a similarity to today’s COVID-19.

The first recorded victim of Spanish flu was found in May 1918 when the country was at war. In 1918, there were no treatments for influenza and no antibiotics to treat complications such as pneumonia. Hospitals were quickly overwhelmed. There was no centrally imposed lockdown to contain the spread of infection, although many theatres, dance halls, cinemas and churches were closed, in some cases for months; Pubs, which were already subject to wartime restrictions on opening hours, mostly stayed open. The Football League and the FA Cup had been cancelled for the war, but there was no effort to cancel other matches or limit crowds, with men's teams playing in regional competitions, and women's football, which attracted large crowds, continuing throughout the pandemic. The major duty was still carrying on.

Streets in some towns and cities were sprayed with disinfectant and some people wore anti-germ masks, as they went about their daily lives. They believed fresh air could protect them from the viruses and they took 15-minute walks to breathe in fresh air every morning and night. Other advices include ‘avoid street crowd; don’t take train, bus and taxi; don’t get tired; don’t speak anyone who has signs of cold’.

There was a more deadly second wave of the disease, in the autumn of 1918. By the end of the pandemic, the death toll in Britain was 228,000, and a quarter of the population are thought to have been infected.

References

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-52564371