Lessons from the past in the present: news from the Spanish flu pandemic to COVID-19

Abstract

Objective: to analyze the health conducts for combating the Spanish flu and its relationship with the COVID-19 pandemic in Rio de Janeiro. Methods: study from the perspective of microhistory, with analysis of articles published in Revista da Semana on the Spanish flu, having as criteria publications with the term "epidemic" referring to the Spanish flu or influenza in the period of the epidemic outbreak in Rio de Janeiro, Federal District. Results: 18 records, organized in three thematic axes: political, 4; social, 11; care, 3, were found. Final considerations: the lessons left by the Spanish flu epidemic in coronavirus times will be changes in the political, social and care field as marks of major epidemics.

The Potential Role of Cytokine Storm Pathway in the Clinical Course of Viral Respiratory Pandemic

“…The 1918–1919 influenza pandemic mortality curve shows a “W” shape with higher mortality in young adults aged 20 to 40, probably due to the lack of pre-existing immunity in this population. It is possible that an antigenically similar strain of influenza circulated before 1889, providing a level of protection against the new pandemic strain H1N1 [ 87 ].…”

Implicações da pandemia para a construção da identidade das enfermeiras a partir da mídia jornalística

“…Essa problemática pode ter sido agravada pela maneira como a pandemia foi tratada, desde o início, por parte do Governo Federal e do Ministério da Saúde. Ao defender uma política negacionista e subestimar o potencial do coronavírus, muitas condutas foram tomadas tardiamente ou mesmo negligenciadas (36)(37)(38) . A falta de uma gestão eficiente com foco nas pessoas fez com que a pandemia ganhasse força no país, configurando um "ninho" de variantes cada vez mais transmissíveis e que trouxeram resultados catastróficos para o país, que já acumula 30.210.85 milhões de casos e 661.656 mil mortes (39) .…”

Implications of the pandemic for the construction of nurses’ identity based on the journalistic media

“…This problem may have been aggravated by the way the pandemic was treated, from the beginning, by the Federal Government and the Ministry of Health. By defending a denialist policy and underestimating coronavirus' potential, many behaviors were taken late, or even neglected (36)(37)(38) . The lack of efficient management focused on people made the pandemic gain strength in the country, being a "nest" of variants, increasingly transmissible, and that brought catastrophic results for the country, which already accumulates 30,210.85 million cases and 661,656 thousand deaths (39) .…”