18 Mar COVID-19 Innovation and Speed-to-Market
As our nation grieves the more than 500,000 Americans lost to COVID-19, many of us are anxiously awaiting vaccinations. The award-winning PBS series American Experience has an interesting profile of the polio epidemic and the herculean effort, at the time, to develop a vaccine. The episode, entitled “The Polio Crusade”, contains many first-person accounts of individuals stricken with polio and the effect on them and their loved ones. As we process the last year, I can’t help but think about the innovation and speed-to-market heroism we’ve witnessed as a result of the urgency the COVID-19 pandemic has made so clear, and how, in its day, the polio vaccine had the same break-through scientific innovations.
“Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and the courage to make dreams into reality.”
– Jonas Salk
I watched the show with great interest as it chronicled the search, the process and the timeline to develop a polio vaccine. My father was stricken with polio when he was a young man and has many stories to share. In our conversations since the pandemic started, my dad always notes with optimism the speed with which the COVID-19 vaccines have been developed and how quickly they’re being deployed compared to the polio vaccine.
It is truly a marvel in innovation, science and logistics.
If you’re interested in streaming “The Polio Crusade,” a link can be found HERE.
At Axiom, we know a bit about product development and what it takes to go from idea to full production. Our team includes engineers, innovation leaders and inventors. To learn more about this topic, you may enjoy reading Innovating at the Speed of Teams. Contact us to talk about your product development and marketing needs, mreiber@axiomcom.com .
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