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.

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

Globalization accelerates the spread of diseases, transforming local outbreaks into global threats, demanding vigilance.

1918 flu pandemic's toll, magnified by poverty, highlights the lethal blend of infectious disease and socio-economic disparity.

Global travel spreads pandemics; H5N1's lethal potential reminds us of the urgent need for robust public health readiness.