Q: Why was the response to the ’76 swine flu outbreak deemed a failure?

A: In the decision-making, the fundamental strategic flaw was combining all aspects of response into a single “go or no-go” decision – the decision to proceed with characterizing the virus into a vaccine, to produce the vaccine, to test it and to deliver it to every man, woman and child in the USA – that was all decided and announced in March ’76 in one fell swoop.

From WHO interview of Dr. Fineberg

Bulletin of the World Health Organization Past issues Volume 87: 2009 Volume 87, Number 6, June 2009, 405-484

https://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/87/6/09-040609/en/