The 1918 Spanish Influenza Pandemic killed 675,000 in the US alone, at a time when the US population was less then half of what it is today. Over 50 million worldwide.
The numbers from that time dwarf what is going on today, and the only similar measures taken by government was quarantine and isolation of specific individuals, along with control of large gatherings. NO UNIVERSAL shutdowns. Almost no one not quarantined was prevented from working.
The difference between then and now is that we had far fewer lunatic, power mad petty tyrant governors and local officials in office, most of whom are authoritarian Democrats.
Wow have we strayed from what the founders wanted.
We have over 500 kings and queens in DC
and many D and RINO ones in power at state and local levels.