COVID AND POLIO

This evening’s newscast had another story about the latest developments in the battle against Covid and the citizens of the United States have become divided between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated. The disease of my childhood was infantile paralysis or as it is more commonly known, polio. All over the United States, the summer months were considered the most dangerous time of year when people were most likely to sicken with this devastating illness. The photographs of polio patients in an iron lung were frightening to all. The most famous person who suffered from the aftereffects of polio was the New York Governor, Franklin Roosevelt. The most well-known treatment for polio victims was the Sister Kinney method.

One summer when I was in middle school was a particularly bad year for the disease. Among the many resulting restrictions was the summer closure of the public swimming pool where my family lived. My younger sister, Kathy, needed to have her tonsils removed, but the surgery was postponed until after the polio danger had passed. I was in a 4H club that year. My projects for the summer were cooking and sewing. Both my cooking project and the dress I made for myself won blue ribbons at the county fair and were selected to go to the state fair in Springfield, Illinois. The previous year the sewing projects selected were modeled by their creators at a fashion show in the 4H Building. To my great disappointment, the little fashion show was canceled that summer because of the polio epidemic. Having my dress on display in the 4H Building was the consolation prize. My parents knew how I felt and tried to help to cheer me up by taking the family to Springfield to see the exhibit case with my dress and all its prizes.

When the Salk vaccine for polio was developed, it was a sensation and widely accepted. I remember that when I received it orally, a drop of the vaccine was put on a sugar cube turning the sugar pink. Later of course, it was available by a shot in the arm. I don’t recall any negative reactions and there was widespread acceptance that such an awful disease could be prevented.

I only wish that the vaccine for Covid had received a similar acceptance. I have been so surprised as have many others, that such a large number prefer to take their chances with the disease rather than have the vaccine. It is easy to see that the iron lung and a respirator in the hospital Covid ward have some similarities. Children are routinely vaccinated against polio, and it has virtually disappeared from the United States. The schools expect that children be vaccinated against polio and many other diseases. I hope this sensible solution soon will be universal in the United States.

Alice Crippen