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The open-air treatment of pandemic influenza

Author

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  • Hobday, R.A.
  • Cason, J.W.

Abstract

The H1N1 "Spanish flu" outbreak of 1918-1919 was the most devastating pandemic on record, killing between 50 million and 100 million people. Should the next infl uenza pandemic prove equally virulent, there could be more than 300 million deaths globally. The conventional view is that little could have been done to prevent the H1N1 virus from spreading or to treat those infected; however, there is evidence to the contrary. Records from an "open-air" hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, suggest that some patients and staff were spared the worst of the outbreak. A combination of fresh air, sunlight, scrupulous standards of hygiene, and reusable face masks appears to have substantially reduced deaths among some patients and infections among medical staff. We argue that temporary hospitals should be a priority in emergency planning. Equally, other measures adopted during the 1918 pandemic merit more attention than they currently receive.

Suggested Citation

  • Hobday, R.A. & Cason, J.W., 2009. "The open-air treatment of pandemic influenza," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 99(S2), pages 236-242.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2008.134627_9
    DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2008.134627
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    RePEc Biblio mentions

    As found on the RePEc Biblio, the curated bibliography for Economics:
    1. > Economics of Welfare > Health Economics > Economics of Pandemics > Specific pandemics > Spanish Influenza

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    Cited by:

    1. Ilan Noy & Toshihiro Okubo & Eric Strobl, 2023. "The Japanese textile sector and the influenza pandemic of 1918–1920," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 63(5), pages 1192-1227, November.
    2. Krzysztof Herman & Łukasz Drozda, 2021. "Green Infrastructure in the Time of Social Distancing: Urban Policy and the Tactical Pandemic Urbanism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-21, February.
    3. Bruno Marques & Jacqueline McIntosh & Chitrakala Muthuveerappan & Krzysztof Herman, 2022. "The Importance of Outdoor Spaces during the COVID-19 Lockdown in Aotearoa—New Zealand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-17, June.
    4. Majewska, Anna & Denis, Małgorzata & Jarecka-Bidzińska, Ewa & Jaroszewicz, Joanna & Krupowicz, Wioleta, 2022. "Pandemic resilient cities: Possibilities of repairing Polish towns and cities during COVID-19 pandemic," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    5. Mona Foertsch & Felix Roesel, 2023. "Public Infrastructure and Regional Resilience: Evidence from the 1918 Spanish Flu in Germany," CESifo Working Paper Series 10705, CESifo.
    6. Majewska, Anna & Denis, Małgorzata & Krzysztofik, Sylwia & Monika Maria, Cysek-Pawlak, 2022. "The development of small towns and towns of well-being: Current trends, 30 years after the change in the political system, based on the Warsaw suburban area," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    7. Quendler Erika & Magnini Vincent P. & Driouech Noureddin, 2021. "Strategic Positioning of the Farm Holiday’s Post-Pandemic Competitive Advantages: Fresh Air and Sunlight," Zeitschrift für Tourismuswissenschaft, De Gruyter, vol. 13(1), pages 22-51, May.
    8. Joanna Jaroszewicz & Anna Majewska, 2021. "Group Spatial Preferences of Residential Locations—Simplified Method Based on Crowdsourced Spatial Data and MCDA," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-24, April.

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