On the anniversary of the first lockdown to protect us collectively from covid-19, it is time for balance and reflection. From a historical perspective, I find it very useful and sobering to compare it with the closest precedent: the 1918 flu. It was the last great world pandemic. In fact, we say 1918 but there were new outbreaks and it lasted until 1920. However, the highest mortality occurred in 1918. It is not known for certain how many people died worldwide from what became known as the "Spanish flu", not because it came from Spain but because it was in Spain, a neutral state during World War I, that it was openly talked about in the press. The events in Spain alerted the other countries that they were suffering from the flu, but under censorship. There is talk of between 50m and 100m deaths, which, compared to the world population at the time, represents between 2% and 4%. The equivalent of today's world population would have been between 150m and 300m dead. Fortunately, nothing like what has happened to date. The reactions of the authorities have been much quicker thanks to more globalised and transparent information. The reaction in terms of public health has been truly transversal and the healthcare and scientific reaction has been spectacular and exemplary.