What Cambridge life was like during the 1918 Spanish flu
Archived editions of the Cambridge Chronicles depict striking similarities between public response to Spanish Influenza and COVID-19
A century ago, Cambridge was in the middle of yet another wave of the Spanish flu.
Lockdowns, overcrowded hospitals, nurse shortages, school closures and high death tolls consumed the pages of the Cambridge Chronicle from 1918 to 1920, depicting an eerily similar scene to present day. Epidemic at an end, read one headline, followed just weeks later by its swift return.
Some advice offered at the time? Don’t worry about it. Also, eat wholesome food, don’t wear wet shoes, and certainly don’t share handkerchiefs. And, girls, stop kissing your boyfriends.