A Comparative Study on the Effect Of Covid-19 And Spanish Flu In India – Lessons To Learn From The Past

The present era that we are living in is experiencing a global crisis due to a pandemic outbreak of COVID-19, which has affected millions around the world. The pandemic crisis has not only affected the physical forms of life but has also brought about a drastic change in the previously followed economic and social patterns. At present, there are some norms that we are obliged to follow such as self-isolation, social distancing and restriction of several activities which has created a lot of confusion resulting in a huge hit on the socioeconomic scenarios. The COVID-19 pandemic has not only brought about fears in the life of the individuals but has also created a panic due to which there has been an increasing demand for medicine and consumable products as individuals have resorted to stockpiling medical supplies and consumer products, resulting in a huge socio-economic disparity ‘with some getting all while the others get none.’. The global scenarios and the symptoms of the COVID-19 have paved a way for a comparison of the COVID-19 pandemic with the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918. Several undertakings are trying to implement strategies and successive methods that were learned in the past to restore normalcy in the socioeconomic conditions by providing individuals with various forms of information to create awareness about COVID-19 and to encourage the implementation of precautionary methods for the same. This paper will help the readers to understand the similarities between the effects of COVID-19 and the Spanish flu on India and will suggest the precautionary measures that must be taken to tackle the global pandemically induced mishap.