Fort Dix, Trenton, New Jersey

January 19, 1976: Outbreak Detected

• A new strain of swine flu (H1N1) is detected at Fort Dix, New Jersey among army recruits
• One recruit dies (Private David Lewis); others are hospitalized
• Fears arise that this could mirror the 1918 'Spanish Flu' pandemic

January 27, 1976: Samples sent to the CDC test positive for H1N1 swine influenza — the first time this strain had been found in humans since the 1950s.

February – March 1976: National Response

• CDC and health officials call for a mass immunization campaign
• President Gerald Ford announces a plan to vaccinate all Americans
• Mar 24: President Ford publicly announces the "National Influenza Immunization Program (NIIP)", calling for vaccination of every American (approx. 213 million people).
• Congress quickly appropriates funds ($135 million) for vaccine production and distribution

Spring–Summer 1976:

• No further cases of swine flu are detected outside Fort Dix
• Debate intensifies among scientists and officials about the need for mass vaccination
• The insurance industry refuses to cover potential liabilities from vaccine side effects
• Congress passes legislation to indemnify vaccine manufacturers against lawsuits

April–August 1976: Vaccine Development & Approval

• Vaccine is developed and approved
• However, manufacturers demand liability protection due to fear of lawsuits over adverse effects
• Federal government assumes liability to keep the campaign moving

October 1, 1976: Vaccination Begins

• Mass immunization campaign officially begins nationwide
• Initial public enthusiasm is high, especially in high-risk populations

October–December 1976: Adverse Events & Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)

• Reports of Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder, begin to surface
• Approximately 45 million people are vaccinated
• Over 500 cases of GBS reported, with at least 25 deaths attributed

December 16, 1976: Vaccination Program Suspended

• CDC recommends suspension of the program
• Public confidence drops sharply

March 1977: Official Termination

• The immunization program is formally terminated
• Total cost estimated at $137 million (1976 USD)

Key Takeaways:

• The 1976 swine flu program was the 'first mass immunization effort' in response to a perceived pandemic
• It was halted due to safety concerns, especially around Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)
• The virus never became a pandemic, leading to 'criticism of the federal response'
• It remains a 'cautionary tale' in public health policy and vaccine risk communication