Spanish flu

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/spanish-flu

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the virus strain?Influenza A (H1N1) virus
2. What is the estimated infection rate?Approximately 33% of the global population
3. What was the Spanish flu and why did it get that name?The Spanish flu was a huge 1918 flu pandemic caused by an H1N1 virus. It was called Spanish flu because Spain reported it openly while other countries kept it secret during World War I.
4. Why did the Spanish flu hurt healthy young adults so badly?The virus triggered an overactive immune response called a cytokine storm, which made the lungs and other organs very sick, especially in healthy adults aged 20–40.

Pandemic: An epidemic that has spread over several countries or continents, affecting a large number of people.
Virulence: The degree of pathogenicity of a microorganism or virus; the severity of the disease it causes.
Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs): Public health measures that do not involve medication or medical devices, such as social distancing and mask-wearing.