People are musing on how like the current situation is to prior pandemics – such as the Spanish flu pandemic, the SARS pandemic, or a flu pandemic in 1957 (which I had not heard of).

The more I’ve been watching the responses from the authorities, the more I’m feeling this is less like 1918 and more like 1914. This is where in a short period of time, the world is facing down a threat and all the people in charge can think of doing is the same old responses. Then there’s the fact that the people in charge aren’t exactly the cream of the crop you would want holding the reins of power during a great time of crisis.