Historical Narratives Shape Our Fears

Public fears surrounding pandemics are often rooted in misleading historical narratives. The Spanish flu is commonly viewed as a sudden and catastrophic outbreak that disproportionately affected young and healthy individuals. However, new insights reveal that high mortality rates were significantly influenced by the widespread prescribing of dangerously high doses of aspirin, which caused severe complications. Additionally, bacterial pneumonia, a common consequence of viral infections, is now easily treatable with antibiotics. Consequently, if the Spanish flu were to reemerge today, its impact would likely not be as devastating due to available medical advancements. This calls into question the reliability of our fears based on historical events and suggests a need for deeper examination of these narratives.