Maurice Hilleman; Accomplished Scientist who developed Vaccines

Maurice Hilleman was a pioneer for developing vaccines.  He developed 8 of 14 key vaccines in the last 100 years.  Hilleman developed a vaccine against  Japanese B encephalitis, a disease that threatened American troops in the World War II Pacific theater.  From 1948 to 1957, Hilleman discovered the genetic changes that occur when the influenza mutates, known as shift and drift, which he theorized would mean that a yearly influenza vaccination would be required. That helped him to recognize that a 1957 outbreak of influenza in Hong Kong which could have  become a huge pandemic. Working nine 14-hour days he and a colleague found that it was a new strain of flu that could kill millions. Forty million doses of vaccines were prepared and distributed. Although 69,000 Americans died, the pandemic could have resulted in many more deaths in the United States. He saved the lives of millions.  Hilleman was awarded the medal from the American military for his work.  We will also discuss the Michigan legislature's decision to stop orders from the governor to mandate masks.