QUALITY OF LIFE AND THE HISTORY OF PANDEMICS: COMPARISONS BETWEEN THE 1918 INFLUENZA AND COVID-19 IN PUBLIC POLICIES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56238/arev7n6-221Keywords:
Pandemics, Quality of life, Public policies, Spanish Flu, COVID-19, Social inequalityAbstract
This article proposes a comparative analysis between two of the most significant pandemics in contemporary history: the 1918 Spanish Flu and the COVID-19 pandemic, with an emphasis on their effects on quality of life and the formulation of public health policies. The investigation is based on the understanding that pandemic events are not limited to health crises but constitute complex social phenomena that expose and often exacerbate existing inequalities.
In the case of the 1918 Flu, institutional responses were still incipient, marked by precarious health systems, scarce medical resources, and limited governmental coordination. The absence of vaccines, established health protocols, and effective communication with the population contributed to the high death toll and the worsening of living conditions, especially among the poorer social strata.
The COVID-19 pandemic, occurring in a context of significant technological and scientific advances, brought to light other issues, such as the role of misinformation, the fragility of certain political leaderships, and the tension between economic interests and the protection of life. Despite the rapid development of vaccines and digital monitoring tools, unequal access to healthcare services, quality information, and social protection revealed that technical progress alone does not ensure health justice.
By drawing this historical parallel, the article argues that quality of life during pandemics is directly related to the capacity to formulate effective, inclusive, and science-based public policies. Furthermore, it highlights the role of the state in ensuring basic rights and mitigating the collateral effects of health crises, such as unemployment, collective mourning, and psychological distress. The article concludes that understanding the lessons of the past is essential to building more humane and resilient responses in the present and future.
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