Despite the townsfolk's concerns about the spread of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF), quarantine was not necessary, as the disease is a tick-borne virus and not contagious, but this was not known at the time. However, even today the disease still causes fatalities, especially if not treated early with antibiotics and can result in life-changing complications if left too long.
Nellie (Alison Arngrim) is seen reading a couple of rather gruesome rhymes and is accused of making them up. The rhymes, which dealt with a boy named Little Willie, actually existed and were popular in the late 1800s.
Life imitates art as in March of 2020, several US states shut down schools and businesses and required people to distance themselves because of the Covid-19 pandemic.