In Ecclesiastes 1:9 the Word of God proclaims that there is nothing new under the sun.

What about this swine flu? The media frenzy sure makes it look like this is a brand new threat that could cause widespread peril to all mankind and wipe tens of millions from the face of the Earth. OK, maybe I exaggerate a bit.

Anyway, back to my point. Clint Ecker (@clint) posted a YouTube video with 1976 Swine Flu Public Service Announcements. Wait, 1976, that’s right my friend. There was a big swine flu panic in 1976 and President Ford led a massive inoculation of 40 million people.

The swine flu case of 1976 forever reduced confidence in public health pronouncements from the government and helped foster cynicism about federal policy makers that continues to this day. — 1976: Fear of a great plague

So, before you head for the hills, stock up on Tamiflu, or start calling for mass inoculation, we might want to pause and review a bit of history.

Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. — George Santayana

More on Swine Flu:

• Wikipedia: Swine Influenza
• CDC: Swine Influenza
• Wired: March 24, 1976: Ford Orders Swine-Flu Shots for All
• Time: How to Deal with Swine Flu: Heeding the Mistakes of 1976
• The Flawed 1976 National “Swine Flu” Influenza Immunization Program
• CDC: Reflections on the 1976 Swine Flu Vaccination Program