[hanamizu]

This headline surprised me as well as smallpox is pretty much extinct except for some samples in labs in the U.S. and Russia (and maybe China?) I think the last case was someone working in a lab.

Those of us of a certain age who sport odd scars on our upper arms may be ok, so I can take some comfort in that.

[rxsid]

"This headline surprised me as well as smallpox is pretty much extinct except for some samples in labs in the U.S. and Russia (and maybe China?) I think the last case was someone working in a lab."

Surprised me as well.

Why a new drug approval for smallpox...now? And, why was it fast-tracked for approval? What's the hurry?

There has to be much more to this story.

[gleeaikin]

I too have a nickle sized scar on my thigh from 82 years ago. I wonder if I still have any immunity after all these years.

Apparently all “wild” smallpox has been eliminated. However, man has decided to cage the beast in laboratories so we still have something to worry about.

[AppyPappy]

“Those of us of a certain age who sport odd scars on our upper arms may be ok”

I wouldn’t count on that. We are protected because no one has it.