Flattening the Curve in 1918 by National Geographic Magazine

THE 1918 INFLUENZA PANDEM IC—ALSO KNOWN AS THE SPANISH FLU — wreaked havoc into 1920 and earned the dubious honor of being the deadliest pandemic in recorded history. In 2020, as many parts of the world grind to a halt in response to the coronavirus, experts have turned to this century-old outbreak for clues. The efforts made back then to stem the flu’s spread in cities across America, and the outcomes—some grim, some inspiring—continue to offer lessons for today.