1976: President Gerald Ford orders a nationwide vaccination program to prevent a swine-flu epidemic.

Discussion in 'Politics' started by easymon1, Apr 14, 2020.

  1. easymon1

    easymon1

    Mass vaccinations started in October, but within weeks reports started coming in of people developing Guillain-Barré syndrome, a paralyzing nerve disease, right after taking the shot. Within two months, 500 people were affected, and more than 30 died. Amid a rising uproar and growing public reluctance to risk the shot, federal officials abruptly canceled the program Dec. 16.

    https://www.wired.com/2008/03/dayintech-0324/
     
  2. Overnight

    Overnight



    You forgot to mention this bit from your article...

    "In the end, 40 million Americans were inoculated, and there was no epidemic. A later, more technically advanced examination of the virus revealed that it was nowhere near as deadly as the 1918 influenza virus. The only recorded fatality from swine flu itself was the unfortunate Pvt. Lewis..."

    So the cure was worse than the disease.