


Did you know that Pottstown Pennsylvania boasts the 2nd oldest working carousel in the United States? Read on to see the link to vaccines.
Vaccines are far from a new phenomenon. Over two centuries ago, Edward Jenner was credited with inventing a vaccine to prevent smallpox. Other notable vaccines include Pertussis (1914) Diphtheria (1926), Tetanus (1938) combined at DTP in 1948. The licensing of the polio vaccine in 1955 was cause for celebration. Fast forward to early 2020, the dire necessity for a vaccine to combat COVID-19 became apparent as an unprecedented pandemic infiltrated the United States.
The #COVID-19 pandemic has thrust vaccines in the forefront and unfortunately the United States passed one million deaths from COVID-19. Yet from the time the COVID-19 pandemic occurred, the United States has been a frontrunner in terms of prevention, vaccine licensure, authorizations and approved treatments not to mention the hundreds of diagnostic tests.
What is the connection with the Carousel in Pottstown, Pennsylvania? Quite simply the answer is vaccines. Sadly, young Derek Saylor died from bacterial meningitis back in the 1990s. Eventually, the Pottstown community conceived the idea to revive the town with the Carousel. The significance is that the revitalization project was a success due to the generosity of Derek’s family. The family wanted to keep Derek’s memory alive and made a generous contribution to bring the carousel to fruition. Finally, the Carousel is a fantastic venue and really brings home the strides the United States has made in vaccines to protect the public.
Useful Links: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23444589/