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The intense and personal fight to require masks during the second wave of Spanish flu in SF
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A masked man pretends to hold up two masked women on San Francisco Bay in this 1918 photo, likely as a joke for resembling a bandit.OpenSFHistory / wnp14.13145.jpg
A resurgent virus killing again. A tireless health expert facing hostility to mask-wearing. Local officials delivering mixed messages on safety and being caught not practicing what they preach.
The second wave of Spanish influenza in December 1918 and January 1919 resembles the most recent surge of COVID-19 in some ways. San Franciscans back then were weary after an autumn of restrictions that were tougher than in most other cities though they did appear to help reduce cases and deaths.