That generation had their own panics. Look up the 56 and 57 polio epidemics.
Good to know we won’t die in ten years! Thanks, Greta - for Captain Trips.
Polio was a little different, because it was a real thing that had real long-term effects (paralysis) and it spread among and affected children heavily. It wasn’t just a flu, although it was a virus. I still remember when the vaccine was announced.
I remember those days well, and the series of polio shots we had to have back then. That was way before disposable syringes. And the after-effects of the shot were painful. Your arm would start aching, and it would be very painful to lift it. It took hours for the effect to go away.