How the World Learned to Manage the FluSince the 1940s, the World Health Organization has worked with different countries to keep the flu endemic by identifying strains and watching for signs of a pandemic.Read more
How a Vaccine Slowed the Spread of ChickenpoxThe highly contagious disease dates to ancient times and spread easily in households and classrooms—until the development of a vaccine.Read more
The First ‘Vaccine Passports’ Were Scars from Smallpox VaccinationsWhen smallpox ravaged the United States at the turn of the 20th century, many public spaces required people to show their vaccine scars for entry.Read more
How World War I’s Legacy Eclipsed the 1918 PandemicBoth World War I and the 1918 influenza pandemic were devastating events in history. So why did memorials for one event overshadow the other?Read more
The Deadliest Events in US HistoryFrom pandemics to wars to natural disasters, these events took the highest tolls on American lives.Read more
When the Supreme Court Ruled a Vaccine Could Be MandatoryA 1905 decision provided a powerful and controversial precedent for the flexing of government authority.Read more
4 Diseases You’ve Probably Forgotten About Because of VaccinesVaccines are so effective at fighting disease that sometimes it’s easy to forget their impact.Read more
Why the 1918 Flu Pandemic Never Really EndedAfter infecting millions of people worldwide, the 1918 flu strain shifted—and then stuck around.Read more
How the Flu Pandemic Changed Halloween in 1918Officials feared Halloween celebrations could spread the virus or disrupt those who were sick or mourning.Read more
Why African Americans Were More Likely to Die During the 1918 Flu PandemicMost hospitals turned them away—or sent them to the basement for treatment.Read more
What Happens When a President Becomes Ill or Incapacitated While in Office?Presidents dating back to George Washington have faced serious health issues while in office. Since 1967, the 25th Amendment has provided clear protocol.Read more
When the US Government Tried to Fast‑Track a Flu VaccineMore than a quarter of the nation was inoculated in 1976 for a pandemic that never materialized.Read more