@Usagi 24 May 2021 more from that month

As the influenza pandemic swept across the United States in 1918 and 1919, masks took a role in political and cultural wars. The masks were called muzzles, germ shields and dirt traps. ... Then, as now, medical authorities urged the wearing of masks to help slow the spread of disease. Many of the methods Americans used in 1918 to try to prevent the spread of the flu are similar to what people began doing during the COVID-19 pandemic: Close schools. Wear masks. ... In western states, some cities adopted mask ordinances, and officials argued wearing one was a patriotic duty. Credits to: CRAZY FACTS