Lockdown A Hundred Years Ago

Most of the measures for preventing the flu in Austria were introduced in mid-October 1918, which was far too late. Shortly before, the Ministry of Public Health put out a public announcement to “protect oneself”. A journalist from the newspaper Wiener Allgemeine Zeitung criticized this as insufficient, because it was seen as impossible to protect oneself in the crowds of the big city.

Mid-October 1918, restrictions and shutdowns were imposed for both public and private spheres. For instance, on 19 October the newspaper Grazer Tagesblatt reported that all bars providing entertainment and possibly churches had to close. “Due to the incessant increase of flu infections, the local public health authority is working on a regulation that would close down all venues offering entertainment. It is anticipated that by this evening, or tomorrow morning, the state authorities will come to a decision resulting in the temporary closing of cinemas, theatres, meeting places as well as churches.”

(Grazer Tagblatt, 19. Oktober 1918)

A day later, Lower Austria included venues where food and drink are consumed, making it obligatory that such places of consumption be regularly aired out and cleaned.

“Stay in bed, call the doctor on time, and other such recommendations are certainly easy enough to follow, but how is one to avoid the crowds and masses in Vienna? The tramways are always jam-packed and the waiting time between tramways seems endless as throngs of people pile up at every stop. How is it even possible to avoid the crowds if going about one’s work means taking the tramway several times a day?”

Click on this link for the entire issue of the Wiener Allgemeine Zeitung, October 7, 1918