Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic scientists raced to produce a vaccine so that Americans would be protected from getting infected with the virus.

Initially, we did not have a clear understanding of the virus and the mechanisms as to how it spread. But throughout that whole process we soon found out that handwashing and the use of masks would be a critical component that helped contain the virus before a vaccine would be developed, and subsequently rushed to the masses. Within a short amount of time, the public made a mad rush to purchase whatever masks and hand sanitizers they could find, triggering so much demand that it even impacted availability of PPE for frontline health care professionals.

The topic of this episode is to shed light on the efforts it took to nearly eradicate polio and that eventually the nation pulled together to achieve herd immunity. There was a visible, concerted community and business driven effort then and even now there are a number of businesses that chose to continue to require social distancing and masks

Moreover, sometimes, it becomes necessary turn back the pages of history to remind us that pandemics, such the coronavirus, were not the first global infectious agents that have ravaged entire populations. People responded to each and every pandemic or epidemic, which became lessons learned, sadly we seemed to have forgotten just that.