We’ve Made It Through Before: The 1918 Pandemic in Fredericton
On March 19, life in Fredericton came to a halt. Schools had already closed, many were working from home, but now it was official; the province had declared a state of emergency.
“It is up to us to take actions that will slow the spread of the virus, and give our doctors, nurses, and other health-care professionals the best chance to cope with its impact,” said Dr. Jennifer Russel, Chief Medical Officer.
Businesses were told to shut down. People had to stay inside and practise social distancing. Leaving empty streets, closed signs in storefronts, and ribboned-off playgrounds. But this had all happened before.
In the fall of 1918, the influenza outbreak spread through N.B. and the world.
Dr. George C. Melvin, the first medical officer in the province, told citizens to stay inside and closed much of the city.
Soldiers, returning from the first world war, brought many of the first cases to Fredericton.
The Lieutenant Governor’s House, which was at the time being used as a military hospital, had nine of the 10 initial cases.
The first COVID-19 cases in the city were also returning from out of the country. Causing most flights to be cancelled.
Much like today, universities closed their doors. U.N.B. ended classes in October for five weeks, and again in December ending the term early. An article in the school paper, The University Monthly, wrote of the closures, echoing what many students are thinking today.
“We do hope that the terrible epidemic will soon be completely stomped out, and at some near-future date we shall all be back to our college work, once more.”
Unlike today, without modern technologies, schools could not easily adjust to distanced learning.
“I was still able to do my schoolwork even when I was halfway across the ocean,” says Sebastian Vanicek, who had to leave university in Scotland.
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In 1918, 1000 of the population of 7000 caught Influenza. the Victoria Hospital was overflowing and was forced to turn patients away. Luckily, the spread of COVID-19 in Fredericton has been more contained.
While forced to stay apart, the community came closer together. In 1918 Nurse Lillian Snowball drove house to house to care for patients who were turned away from the hospital. Fredericton High School was used to cook meals for the sick.
Today Fredericton High School has been converted into a larger homeless shelter to help practice social distancing.
On Saturday, Frederictonians rang bells and hit pots as a thank you to essential workers.
Signs of hope are being put up in windows throughout the city.
“It’s an outlet for me, stuck in my house, to share with others because we can’t be near them,” says Janice Lovett, who painted a sign in her window.
Similar signs can be seen throughout the city, bringing hope to those out walking or running, helping the city get through hard times. as it did in 1918.
“The first day when it was done, someone came in my yard and took a picture,” says Lovett. “I was successful because someone had a smile on their face.”