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"All public gatherings are called off on account of influenza."

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"All public gatherings are called off on account of influenza."

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By the end of October 1918, the influenza pandemic was a major international issue. As the infection rate and death toll increased, it became clear that action had to be taken to curtail the spread. That included increased medical treatment and volunteer care, and preventative measures such as spreading awareness and cancelling events.

In some cases, shutting down schools or cancelling meetings was a preventative measure. For example, when Jonesborough schools closed for two weeks around October 17th, the article indicated that there had not yet been a student infected with the disease. Rather, the schools were closing to prevent an outbreak from spreading among its students, and when the schools reopened they reported minimum cases of infection.

In some cases, closures seemed to be both preventative and reactionary. The Herald and Tribune from October 31, 1918, featured a regional news update from Miota. The top two news items involved the rainy weather and the amount of Spanish influenza cases in the area. The final item shows the response: schools and churches were closed, and all public gatherings were called off. Considering the entire article as presented, the spread of influenza had already impacted members of the community attending schools and churches, and suspending all pubic gatherings was reacting to the outbreak and designed to prevent further spread.

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10/31/1918, p. 7

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10/31/1918, p. 7

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11/07/1918, p.4

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12/12/1918, p.1

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12/12/1918, p.1

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12/26/1918, p. 2

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09/25/1918, p.6

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"Spanish Flu Hits Johnson City"

The Spanish Flu is reported to have been in the Johnson City for "three or four days" by September 25th. At the time of the article some forty or fifty children have been sent home and advised to remain until they are recovered, but the superintendent keeps schools open in the belief that the watchful eye of school nurses would be a better alternative to fight the disease than school closure.

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