Does anyone old enough remember the 1977–1978 Soviet/Russian flu epidemic? It was caused by strain Influenza A/USSR/90/77 (H1N1). It infected mostly children and young adults under 23; because a similar strain was prevalent in 1947–57.

That's what SARSCoV2 felt like to me, that or one of those late 1970s "Soviet" type flus. At the time we just called it: the flu. It did not affect older people so was not a big deal for anybody but children, we were all with 39-40° C & on antibiotics.

Now it gets interesting: just before the H1N1 "Russian Flu", there was another H1N1 flu outbreak in US Army Base of Fort Dix, in New Jersey, which spread to pigs. Then silence...and next...SCARY RUSSIAN FLU!

The H1N1 outbreak at Fort Dix caused 1 DEATH, hospitalized 13, & led to a MASS IMMUNIZATION program, the vaccine was associated with Guillain-Barré Syndrome: paralysis, respiratory arrest, & death. The immunization program was ended after 25% of US population vaccinated 1 DEATH.

"We revisit the evidence that the 1977 epidemic was not natural and examine three potential origins: a laboratory accident, a live-vaccine trial escape, or deliberate release as a biological weapon." https://mbio.asm.org/content/6/4/e01013-15

"the 1977 strain appeared to affect only those 26 years of age and younger. These odd characteristics turned out to have a simple scientific explanation: the virus was not novel. The 1977 strain was virtually identical to an H1N1 influenza strain that was prevalent in the 1950s"

"Confirmation that the 1977 strain was derived from a 1950s strain. In 1978, researchers demonstrated that an H1N1 influenza virus strain from 1950 and another strain from 1977 (Fort Warren [FW] and USSR/90, respectively) were unusually closely related"

"The Royal Air Force in Upper Heyford, England, was first affected in January 1978, followed by the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) in Colorado in February. The outbreak at the USAFA was so severe—over the course of 9 days, 76%, or 3,280 cadets, became ill."

"An epidemiological investigation at USAFA revealed no link to other outbreaks nor a temporal association between the onset of cases and athletic competitions with other institutions with influenza cases."

"It is possible that an archival H1N1 strain from the early 1950s was used as a challenge virus to evaluate the efficacy of the H1N1 vaccines in response to the 1976 swine flu outbreak. If this virus were not attenuated properly, it may have spread & cause a global epidemic."

"The World Health Organization excluded the lab accident possibility after discussions with influenza virus laboratory researchers in the Soviet Union and China, finding that “the laboratories concerned either had never kept H1N1 virus or had not worked with it for a long time”

"Pharmaceutical companies Sharp & Dohme (Merck), Merrell, Wyeth, and Parke-Davis also refused to sell doses to the government unless they were guaranteed a profit, a concession that the government also eventually made."
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1976_swine_flu_outbreak

"The House Appropriations Committee reported out a special appropriations bill, including $135 million for the swine flu immunization program. The WHO held a conference to discuss the implications of a swine flu outbreak for poorer nations."

"The Ford administration submitted a proposal to Congress that offered indemnity to vaccine manufacturers.

"Anthony Morris, a researcher in the Food and Drug Administration's Bureau of Biologics (BoB), was dismissed for insubordination and went public with findings that cast doubt on the safety of the vaccine."

"Later that month, investigations into ALLEGED swine flu OUTBREAKS in other parts of the world found no cases of the strain. On July 23, the President sent a letter that urged Congress to take action on indemnification."

"In October, three people died of heart attacks after they had received the vaccine at the same Pittsburgh clinic, which sparked an investigation and the recall of that batch of vaccine."

"William Foege of the CDC estimated that the incidence of Guillain-Barré was 4 times higher in vaccinated people than in those not receiving the swine flu vaccine. The President told reporters that he agreed with the suspension, but he defended the decision to create the program