Covid molecule

The Evolution of Medical Technology Treatments from the Spanish Flu to the COVID-19 Pandemic

By rgcurling

  • The Pandemic of 1918 (The Spanish Flu)

    The Pandemic of 1918 (The Spanish Flu)
    1918 was the beginning of the Spanish Influenza pandemic. The pandemic lasted from 1918 to 1919. Over the course of this year, 50 million lives were lost, making this pandemic the most deadly in world history.

  • Medical Technology during the pandemic of 1918

    Medical Technology during the pandemic of 1918
    In order to prevent the spread of the 1918, medical officials developed protective masks. A mask mandate was put into place, and social gatherings, such as schools and churches were closed. Here is a photograph of a man being denied entry on the public bus for not having a mask. Public health officials begin education programs to warn public of dangers of coughing, sneezing, and any "nasal discharges", in order to prevent and slow the spread of the virus. This was the first mask mandate.

  • Patient Care during the 1918 pandemic

    Patient Care during the 1918 pandemic
    Patient care was much different in 1918 then modern day. Here, nurses and policemen are loading deceased people into cars full of bodies, due to the influenza pandemic. There was no drug or medicine developed to treat the influenza, therefore; nurses took on the role of caring for these patients, which is why there are so many pictured. The virus killed 195,000 Americans in the month of October alone. A severe shortage of nurses occurred, due to a large deployment U.S military camps.

  • The Covid-19 Pandemic

    The Covid-19 Pandemic
    In the month of March 2019, the coronavirus pandemic began, leaving the entire world in fear. The pandemic reached its peak in 2020, but saw a huge decline in cases in 2021 due to the development of a vaccine. The total deaths for coronavirus in world is highly debated, but officially listed at 2.68 million, making it significantly less deadly then the pandemic of 1918.

  • Medical Technology during the covid-19 pandemic

    Medical Technology during the covid-19 pandemic
    During the covid-19 pandemic, medical technology was very advanced compared to previous pandemics. Unlike the pandemic of 1918, the covid-19 pandemic had a test available to patients that likely had the virus and could let medical officials know in 15 minutes or less. This test significantly slowed the spread, and was able to keep those infected away from others. Tests were distributed globally and made very accessible to the public. Without this test, covid-19 could have been much more fatal.

  • Patient Care during the covid-19 pandemic

    Patient Care during the covid-19 pandemic
    Ventilators were the main form of patient care during the covid-19 pandemic. There were not any developed drugs to fight the virus until the vaccine was developed. Covid-19 was a respiratory virus, which is why the use of ventilators was so crucial to combat this virus. The ventilator was invented in 1928, 10 years after the pandemic of 1928 and was further developed in between this time. The covid-19 pandemic was the pivotal moment for ventilators, because it saved thousands of lives.