Word: smallpox
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...Number of civilians immunized thus far against smallpox...
...risks of mass vaccination were well studied in the 1960s, the last decade in which mass vaccination was practiced in the United States. For every million individuals vaccinated against smallpox for the first time in the 1960s, roughly 1000 experienced serious reactions, between 14 and 52 experienced potentially life-threatening reactions, and 1 to 2 died as a result of life-threatening reactions. It is estimated that serious reactions and deaths may be two to three times greater in the current era due to a much greater prevalence of those who are immune compromised, such as those with undiagnosed AIDS...
...benefits of the national smallpox plan are more difficult to quantitate. The administration has repeatedly announced that it does not believe that a smallpox event is imminent, and that there are no hard data that any terrorist group actually possesses the virus. Debate has also centered on the most effective way to contain a smallpox event should we experience one. A number of public health officials, such as Dr. William Foege, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have speculated that a program to rapidly vaccinate contacts after an exposure might be more effective in controlling...
...concerns over the known side effects of the smallpox vaccine and potential secondary infections in hospitalized patients, a number of hospitals have been unwilling to participate in the national smallpox vaccination program. The numbers of healthcare workers and public health officials who have chosen to be vaccinated to date (25,645 as of March 21, 2003) are substantially below the target of several hundred thousand set by the administration. Editorials and opinion statements in scientific journals have supported both sides of the issue. Such debates are not new in the public health arena. Similar discussions have occurred regarding the control...
...present the debate continues. It is likely that the fate of the national smallpox vaccination program will be determined by events yet to unfold. If substantial numbers of vaccinees experience serious side effects, or if a number of secondary cases appear in family members or patients, it is likely that the program will never be widely accepted by the medical community. The CDC recently added additional restrictions on individuals who could receive vaccination after four experienced heart attacks, three of them with fatal outcomes. On the other hand, if another bioterrorist event occurs within the United States it is likely...