Just a few months ago, the sight of someone wearing a facemask at the grocery store, on the bus, or simply out for a walk would’ve been considered abnormal. Fast-forward to today, and not wearing a mask, in many areas, puts you in the minority. However, this vintage picture showcase how masks became the norm during the 1918 pandemic.
For most of us, the COVID-19 pandemic is our first experience with a health crisis of this magnitude, and many of the safety measures that we are now having to take part in, such as mask-wearing, are brand new.
This is not, however, the first time we as a society have been forced to change our daily routines in such a dramatic way, and if we look back into history we can see how our ancestors had to adapt in a similar fashion. Today’s pandemic is yet another example of how history tends to repeat itself.
Read: Opinion: Why Telling People They Don’t Need Masks Backfired
Masks in 1918
Andy McNeil, a mechanical engineer who graduated from Georgia Tech, keeps a photo in his office of the University’s Grant Field stadium, taken by his great grandfather in 1918. The photograph was taken during the flu pandemic that was sweeping across the world at the time and shows the stands filled with spectators, each and every one of them wearing face covering.
Looking at this image today, McNeil is struck by the similarities between then and now.
“When the coronavirus started, I was like, ‘Wow, I had a family member who lived through this’,” he said [1].
The 1918 flu pandemic has been talked about in political and medical circles extensively since the current health crisis began affecting countries all over the world, and has been used as a model to predict where the current pandemic might go. The biggest concern, of course, being the second wave of the virus, that proved to be far more deadly than the first.
During that wave, however, the Georgia Tech football team still played seven games, in front of a mask-wearing crowd.
“It’s a dose of reality,” McNeil said. “Before coronavirus, I couldn’t imagine being at Georgia Tech with a mask on. A pandemic never crossed my mind. It’s a reality that history repeats itself, and we can get through it, but we have to do the right thing.” [1]
Of course, sports games were not the only places where masks became regular attire. Images from that time period show people everywhere wearing masks and other protective clothing, making it apparent, yet again, how shockingly similar our situation is today compared to that of our great grandparents.
For McNeil, these images provide a sense of hope.
“My great-grandfather lived a full life, he made it through,” McNeil said. “Hopefully that inspires people that everything will be okay, eventually.”
Read: 101-year-old man who survived 1918 flu beats coronavirus, too
The Importance of the Mask
When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit North American shores, the initial sentiment was that wearing a face covering was unnecessary and unlikely to make any difference. This sparked a significant debate for a number of weeks as to coronavirus best practices, but as the virus has continued to spread the overwhelming conclusion has been pro-mask.
The CDC is now recommending that everyone wear a cloth mask when going out in public, not because they will prevent the wearer from getting sick, but because they can help reduce the spread of the disease by those who have the virus [2].
This is particularly important because there are many individuals who are carrying the virus but who are asymptomatic, so they don’t even know they’re infected. The CDC published the following advisory:
“We now know from recent studies that a significant portion of individuals with coronavirus lack symptoms (“asymptomatic”) and that even those who eventually develop symptoms (“pre-symptomatic”) can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms. This means that the virus can spread between people interacting in close proximity — for example, speaking, coughing, or sneezing — even if those people are not exhibiting symptoms.” [2]
Because of this, the CDC is recommending everyone wear masks, particularly in places where maintaining a safe distance is more challenging, such as in a grocery store. This has been exemplified by countries like China, South Korea, and Japan, who have done a much more effective job at controlling their own outbreaks.
The CDC is emphasizing, however, that their recommendations are referring to cloth masks, not hospital-grade surgical masks or N95 masks, which are critical supplies that must be reserved for healthcare workers.
Other experts are reminding the public that the reason for wearing a face mask is not to protect themselves, but to protect the people around them.
“Masks act as a physical barrier to protect you and others from viral and bacterial particulates,” says Keane Veran, co-founder and chief executive officer of Oura, a maker of face masks. “Many people unknowingly infect others by going out and spreading germs by coughing or touching others” [2].
Emergency room physician Dr. Luke Padwick strongly believes that masks will slow down virus transmission significantly.
“Wearing a mask is good for two reasons: It’s going to cut down 95 percent of the breathing that sends the virus up to 6 feet away in a room, and also will reduce fecal/oral transmission by preventing the virus from getting into your nose or mouth if you touch a contaminated surface and then your face,” he said [2].
Read: How To Make A 5 Minute Face Mask
They Did it- So Can We
Just as our ancestors were forced to change many of their daily habits in 1918, so too are we. And just like they did, we all must adapt to the times and do our best to protect our families, friends, and neighbours. As McNeil said, we can get through this, we all just have to do the right thing.
Keep Reading: Taking cues from the 1918 Influenza Pandemic, could sunlight and fresh air help manage the coronavirus outbreak?
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