Spanish Influenza’s Final Lesson | Geopolitical Monitor
"But Spanish Influenza’s final lesson remains unlearned by many people.
"The pandemic had two phases, divided by a singular mutation that altered the course of history. In the first months of the outbreak, it’s caliber was largely the same as the common flu.
"In the summer of 1918, it infected nearly 50% of the British troops fighting in Europe, and almost 60% of their French comrades.
"But the symptoms were relatively mild, and the survival rate was extremely high. Its symptoms included chills, a slight fever and cough.
"Typically, recovery occurred within a few days.
"It’s the second wave, that starting in the fall of 1918, is famous for killing between 20-50 million people.
"In the month of October alone, nearly 200,000 Americans died.
"The symptoms of the mutation were far crueler, as victims usually perished within a few days.
"Their skin would turn a dark blue, caused by slow and painful suffocation as the lungs would fill with liquid."