linnugripiblog

The 1918 flu pandemic profoundly affected the East Bay. As the virus swept the world, killing 40 million to 50 million people and making many others gravely ill, local residents hunkered down, isolating themselves in often-vain attempts to prevent the virus' spread.

The Richmond city health officer closed schools, pool rooms and bowling alleys "until further notice." The schools remained shuttered for more than two months, according to Times' historical writer Nilda Rego.
"The entire state is practically all closed up," reported the Independent, a Richmond newspaper.

Livermore leaders encouraged residents to avoid public gatherings, including church services, notes historian Gary Drummond in an article on the pandemic. Attendance at funerals was limited to family members.

In Martinez, the Shell Oil Company converted its old mess hall into a temporary hospital for employees. Workers who fell ill had to present a doctor's certificate verifying their recovery before they could come back inside the refinery gates.

Many cities aggressively enforced mask requirements. Oakland created a 300-person special police force to crack down on its residents, notes Rex Adams in an article for the Chronicle of the University of California.
Two days after Berkeley's mask ordinance took effect, authorities arrested 171 men and four women "mask slackers." They faced fines up to $500.

Fears of the virus extended to weddings. On Oct. 28, Abraham Rothenstein kissed his bride, Annie Nicholson of San Pablo, through a gauze mask.

At UC Berkeley, the virus first spread rapidly among members of its Students' Army Training Corps. To protect the city, the university quarantined the SATC students, banning them from leaving campus.

As the virus spread throughout the university, halls and gyms became infirmaries for hundreds of ill students.
Classes continued, but with many empty seats. The UC Berkeley president recommended a moratorium on new class assignments for 10 days to prevent large numbers of students from falling behind.

The demand for masks exceeded supply. UC Berkeley women began producing them by the thousands, as did Red Cross volunteers in Martinez.

One student, writing in the UC Berkeley campus newspaper, remarked on the anonymity of those who wore masks.
"It was rather an unusual sight to see people go about the campus yesterday, trying to decide whether the persons in front of them were or were not acquaintances. No doubt several unintentional 'snubs' were given and probably some may have thought a wildly democratic fever had suddenly seized every member of the university.
"... Few of us stopped to consider the serious side of the order issued to wear masks."