Healthy Skepticism Library item: 10757

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Publication type: Journal Article

Smith R.
Social measures may control pandemic flu better than drugs and vaccines
BMJ 2007 Jun 30; 334:(7608):1341
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/334/7608/1341-a

Full text:

Non-pharmacological interventions may be as important as-or even more important than-drugs and vaccines in fighting pandemic flu, speakers at a conference in Barcelona said last week.

The international conference on health technology assessment heard from James LeDuc, a professor at the University of Texas who until recently helped to lead the US national strategy for responding to pandemic flu, how St Louis did much better than Philadelphia in the 1918 pandemic-long before effective drugs and vaccines were available. St Louis had its first cases on 5 October 1918, and on 7 October it took a range of measures, such as closing schools, theatres, and dance and pool halls and banning public gatherings, including funerals. In contrast, Philadelphia had its first cases on 17 September but didn’t act until 3 October, and on 28 September a city-wide parade was held. St Louis experienced fewer cases and a much slower increase in . . .