State and local health officials were in charge of the rollout to children, who were most at risk of contracting the disease.
“Young, African-American kids were getting hit, but they were not at the top of the priority list because of the social conditions at the time,” said Dr. René F. Najera, editor of the History of Vaccines project at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. Noting that it was difficult for parents in working-class jobs to take off time to stand in line with children at clinics, Dr. Najera said, “You see this over and over again, history kind of repeats itself.”
Regional polio vaccine rollout in 1955 anything but smooth
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Salk Vaccine Arrives In Albany - The first commercial shipment of Salk polio vaccine arrived at Albany Airport consigned to Parke Davis & Company, 191 Broadway, Menands. The vaccine company officials said, will be distributed to druggists and physicians through regular channels. Shown receiving the shipment of three cases at the airport, left to right, are: Joseph Van Winkle, delivery agent; John V. Healy, manager of the Albany office of the Emery Air Freight Corporation, and Bernard Van Winkle, delivery agent. April 13, 1955 (Knickerbocker News Staff Photo/Times Union Archive)Knickerbocker News Staff Photo/Times Union Historic ImagesShow MoreShow Less
Vaccine memories of another time and place chicagotribune.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from chicagotribune.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
For Americans of a certain generation, the coronavirus vaccine rollout evoked searing memories of an earlier era one that rescued their childhood from fear and the sudden loss of classmates and siblings.