10. New York took contradicting measures to combat the numbers
The City of New York was hard hit by the second and third waves of the virus in 1918 and 1919. The city responded in ways that appeared confused and contradictory. Public schools were told to remain open, with the argument presented that school nurses rendered them safer for children than isolation at home. New York’s Health Commissioner, Royal Copeland, ran a concerted campaign to inform the citizens of the city of the dangers posed by the flu, and the behavior which minimized risk. The citizens of the nation’s most densely packed city were told to avoid crowds. Copeland convinced the business community to stagger shifts, reducing the congestion on the subways and commuter trains.
Workdays were staggered by industry, with retail outlets ordered to open at 8 AM, offices, at 8.30, and so on, with closing times similarly adjusted. Copeland did not order the closing of New York’s theaters and public spaces, though he did distribute leaflets warning against the dangers inherent with attendance. He used the Boy Scouts to distribute them, as well as cards warning of violations of the health code, recently enacted, making spitting on the streets a crime punishable by fine. Copeland’s actions were in line with those of federal officials and experts, who widely regarded the flu as no different than other years’ until the immensity of the second wave overwhelmed the public health systems across the country.