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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsA Pandemic Killed Trump's Grandpa. This One Could Destroy His Presidency.
In May 1918, Frederick TrumpDonalds paternal grandfatherwas taking an afternoon stroll with his young son when he suddenly announced that he felt too ill to continue, and needed to retire to his bed. One day later, Frederick died at home, having succumbed to a case of pneumonia that would later be identified as a complication of the Spanish flu. The presidents grandfather, in fact, was one of the first domestic casualties of the worlds worst modern pandemic, which ultimately killed millions.
The death toll was undoubtedly worsened by the efforts of President Woodrow Wilsons administration to talk down the health risk. Sound familiar?
Heres the history Donald may not know, and may not care about even if he does, but which is terribly relevant as he presides over the nations response to the fast-spreading coronavirus:
With World War I raging, the British, French and German governments downplayed the viruss spread, fearing negative press might hurt the war effort. Spain, unengaged in the fighting and watching from the sidelines, reported honestly on the disease, leading to the false impression that the virus originated in the country, hence its misleading name.
https://news.yahoo.com/pandemic-killed-trump-grandpa-one-094543833.html
So much more I can't show here but the point of the article is that the Spanish flu was like exacerbated by the suppression of information about it. Thankfully we have many people, usually those in local government, who are countering Trump's misinformation about the coronavirus.