“Mask Slackers” Was Among The Labels Meant To Shame Public To Follow Pandemic Strategy In 1918 July 18, 2020 by Ryan B It is amazing how much the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic is similar to our Covid-19 outbreak. And our response to it is also similar in many ways. History explores how the public was shamed into compliance with wearing masks and other protocols a century ago. Photo: National Archives, Public Domain