The downtown exhibit showing Winnipeg’s response to two pandemics
A new interactive exhibit in Winnipeg’s Exchange District is exploring how our community responded to two global pandemics a century apart.
Virus: Making & Breaking the Pandemic opened Friday at the Millennium Centre, 389 Main Street.
Heritage Winnipeg created the exhibit. Executive Director Cindy Tugwell said they came up with the idea when they realized that most of the heritage buildings in the Exchange District had been standing during both the influenza pandemic of 1918, and the more recent COVID-19 pandemic.
“They were a constant, they’ll tell us about how our economy is doing and how we react to things,” said Tugwell. “These heritage buildings downtown have witnessed both pandemics over 100 years.”
The self-guided exhibit is free and open to the public daily from 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. until Friday, Mar. 31. Tugwell said informational panels and interactive video displays show the differences and similarities between the two pandemics.
Lessons like wearing masks, “How to get the masses to wear the masks, you have to remember there were no vaccine back in 1918,” said Tugwell.
She added that, like COVID-19, there was also a lot of food insecurity during the influenza pandemic, “Many heritage buildings – schools, churches – became pivotal for food services for insecurity during that time,” she said.
As for some of the differences between the influenza and COVID-19 pandemics, Tugwell said media was a major one. “Back in 1918 you had the newspapers and telegrams to tell you what was going on, now in 2020 we had everything, from social media, internet theories,” she said. “It was difficult to understand what was really happening, what was real news, what was fake news.”
Tugwell said the exhibit shows how the health care systems of both eras were overwhelmed.
“A lot of these health care workers were stretched. A lot of these hospitals were stretched to the maximum, and we experienced that 100 years later. Tugwell said. “So, lessons learned could be lack of preparation.”
The exhibit is being held at the Millennium Centre, one of the buildings that experienced both pandemics. Tugwell said the choice was deliberate. “COVID was a horrible thing we had to go through, but we’re showcasing it in such a beautiful architecturally significant building,” she said.
We wanted to talk about COVID but be socially connected while we talk about it.”
More information on Virus: Making & Breaking the Pandemic can be found at the Heritage Winnipeg website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Iran fires at suspected Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
Iran fired air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan after spotting drones, which were suspected to be part of an Israeli attack in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.