My former husband had polio as an infant (born 6/20/1949) and had 3 surgeries before age 6 to enable him to walk. He died last year and had been suffering from post polio syndrome.
I met a friend’s mother in 1968 who was in an iron lung after her diagnosis to which she was confined for the rest of her life.
I fear we will see polio and other diseases return with a vengeance as parents choose to not inoculate their children and non vaxers like Kennedy allege that inoculations are causing other problems in children, for which there is no proof.
The fear of polio was real—and justified. But the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (later the March of Dimes) also knew how to amplify that fear. It was part of their strategy, and it worked: the public rallied, funds poured in, and two vaccines were developed.
Do we still use fear to drive public health campaigns? And if so—does it work?
My former husband had polio as an infant (born 6/20/1949) and had 3 surgeries before age 6 to enable him to walk. He died last year and had been suffering from post polio syndrome.
I met a friend’s mother in 1968 who was in an iron lung after her diagnosis to which she was confined for the rest of her life.
I fear we will see polio and other diseases return with a vengeance as parents choose to not inoculate their children and non vaxers like Kennedy allege that inoculations are causing other problems in children, for which there is no proof.
The fear of polio was real—and justified. But the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (later the March of Dimes) also knew how to amplify that fear. It was part of their strategy, and it worked: the public rallied, funds poured in, and two vaccines were developed.
Do we still use fear to drive public health campaigns? And if so—does it work?