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1957 Flu Pandemic, The 1957 flu pandemic was deadly, but milder than the 1918 event. The virus caused an estimated 70,000 deaths in the United States. The seven stories presented in this section are retold by survivors from New York to California.

In Memorial, To date, October 1918 remains the deadliest month in U.S. history when approximately 200,000 Americans died of the flu. Healthy, young adults (average age 35 years) began coughing in the morning and were dead by the evening. The family stories described in this section define true courage amid unbearable loss.

Finding A Cure, One of the most important challenges, for health communicators today, is helping the public to understand that a flu shot will not be readily available when the next pandemic strikes. Once the virus is identified, it will take several months to produce a vaccine. In 1918, in desperation, people tried a variety of methods to cure the sick —some practical and effective, others questionable and even amusing.

In Memorial, To date, October 1918 remains the deadliest month in U.S. history when approximately 200,000 Americans died of the flu. Healthy, young adults (average age 35 years) began coughing in the morning and were dead by the evening. The family stories described in this section define true courage amid unbearable loss.

I Survived, The staggering statistics associated with pandemics sometimes makes it difficult to remember that each number represents a single, human life. In this section, survivors share their intimate recollections of either their own illness or that of a loved one. All these storytellers are 90-plus years of age and they have carried with them for a lifetime their memories of the 1918 flu pandemic.

Finding A Cure, One of the most important challenges, for health communicators today, is helping the public to understand that a flu shot will not be readily available when the next pandemic strikes. Once the virus is identified, it will take several months to produce a vaccine. In 1918, in desperation, people tried a variety of methods to cure the sick —some practical and effective, others questionable and even amusing.

CDC works to identify causes of birth defects and opportunities to prevent them. By applying a public health approach incorporating three essential elements—surveillance or disease tracking, research to identify causes, and prevention research and programs—we can rapidly translate scientific findings into appropriate public health interventions.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working toward developing a comprehensive public health agenda to promote and improve the health of people with blood disorders.

Home page for Cerebral Palsy. CDC estimates that an average of 1 in 303 children in the U.S. have CP.