Just In Case You Were Feeling Chipper

The 1970s return:

But it didn't pan out. Macy Halford recalls the episode:

The story goes like this: in February 1976, a soldier at Fort Dix died of the virus, and the Ford Administration, fearful of an outbreak, ordered immunization of the entire American population (only the United States chose this course of action, rather than “watching and waiting”). The Centers for Disease Control got to work immediately, manufacturing enough vaccine to begin inoculation by the end of the year, but, essentially, no one showed up. Fears arose as to possible debilitating side effects of the vaccine (some claimed that it caused a neurological condition called Guillain-Barr syndrome), and the government proved unable to offer reassurance (you can watch amazingly propagandist public-service commercialsfrom both campson YouTube). The affair ended ironicallyswine flu never materialized in the general population.