Masked American Red Cross attendants in St. Louis remove the body of a flu victim in 1918, a common scene in cities around the country at the time of the pandemic. Wisconsin was the only state to confront the 1918 flu pandemic with uniform, statewide shutdown measures, which limited deaths, historians say. National Archives
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1918 flu, Capitol protest, Outbreak Wisconsin


Of note: This week we highlight a wide array of Wisconsin Watch coverage, much of it in collaboration with our partners. We looked back at the misnamed Spanish influenza pandemic of 1918, which offers lessons for dealing with today’s coronavirus crisis. With the Cap Times and WPR, we documented — through words and photos — last Friday’s Capitol protest of Gov. Tony Evers’ extended Safer at Home order. WPR also joined us in launching Outbreak Wisconsin, a series that chronicles how individual Wisconsinites navigate the pandemic to illustrate how it affects all aspects of society.

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Masked American Red Cross attendants in St. Louis remove the body of a flu victim in 1918, a common scene in cities around the country at the time of the pandemic. Wisconsin was the only state to confront the 1918 flu pandemic with uniform, statewide shutdown measures, which limited deaths, historians say. National Archives

Wisconsin’s pandemic past offers clues to its coronavirus future

Wisconsin Watch — April 28, 2020

During the 1918 flu epidemic, Wisconsin limited deaths with statewide stay-at-home measures, although some cities reopened early — with deadly results. Will history repeat with COVID-19?

An estimated 1,500 protesters gathered to rally against Gov. Tony Evers’ Safer at Home order at the Wisconsin State Capitol on April 24. Will Cioci / Wisconsin Watch

Flouting stay-at-home order and social distancing, anti-lockdown protesters descend on Wisconsin Capitol

Wisconsin Watch/WPR/The Cap Times  — April 24, 2020

An estimated 1,500 protesters, most of them not wearing face masks and many carrying American flags, gathered at the Wisconsin State Capitol on April 24 demanding an end to the wide-ranging shutdown of normal life and business in Wisconsin aimed at curbing the coronavirus pandemic. See our photo gallery of the protest here.

Claire DeRosa / Wisconsin Watch

Outbreak Wisconsin follows residents as they navigate life during the coronavirus pandemic

Wisconsin Watch/WPR — April 23, 2020

Outbreak Wisconsin, a collaborative project by Wisconsin Watch and WPR, is following Wisconsin residents as they navigate life during the coronavirus pandemic. Meet our first participants: Amy Moreland, a Madison bartender, and Mariah Clark, an emergency room nurse.

The nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (wisconsinwatch.org) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, PBS Wisconsin, other news media and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.

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