Name: Lessons from the 1918 flu
Uploaded: 2009-04-30T01:00:00Z
Duration: 20 min 51 s
Description: In 2007, as the world worried about a possible avian flu epidemic, Laurie Garrett, author of "The Coming Plague," gave this powerful talk to a small TED University audience. Her insights from past pandemics are suddenly more relevant than ever.

Laurie Garrett: Lessons from the 1918 flu

Lessons from the 1918 flu

In 2007, as the world worried about a possible avian flu epidemic, Laurie Garrett, author of "The Coming Plague," gave this powerful talk to a small TED University audience. Her insights from past pandemics are suddenly more relevant than ever.

Globalization means that pathogens can leap across continents at breakneck speed, turning local outbreaks into worldwide threats. The H5N1 avian flu killed 55 percent of infected people and has already reached dozens of countries, yet efforts to contain or prepare for such pandemics remain disjointed and inadequate. Attempts to stockpile drugs or vaccines often fail due to rapid viral mutation and limited effectiveness, while confusion reigns over who is truly in charge during an emergency. Real resilience demands coordinated, community-level planning rather than individual hoarding or reactive government measures.