Flu Prevention: 5 Critical Lessons from History and What They Mean Today

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1. What works: Shutting things down
In the so-called Spanish flu epidemic of 1918–1919, three waves of disease swept the world, killing approximately 50 million people, including 500,000 Americans. But Minneapolis and Milwaukee suffered fewer than 3 deaths per 1,000 people -- less than half the rate in cities like Baltimore, Boston, and San Francisco. One reason: The Midwestern cities quarantined the sick, closed schools and churches, and banned public gatherings. Another city, Gunnison, Colorado, escaped the plague by physically blocking the main roads into town. On the other hand, Philadelphia officials refused to ban meetings or parades on grounds of patriotism, and city newspapers downplayed the flu's severity. The result: Philly had one of the highest death rates in the country. These measures have a cost, of course: Closing schools could force so many parents to miss work that it could hamstring the economy. If the virus doesn’t intensify, U.S. officials say, their advice is to keep schools open as much as possible.

Take-home lesson: Ask your kids' principal what would trigger a school closing, and be prepared. Strategize with friends about sharing child care if the need arises; talk to your boss about working from home.