[JohnBovenmyer]

As a Dermatologist I'm pleasantly surprised this hadn't happened sooner after we resumed smallpox vaccinations. It was the most common of the bad complications in the historical era of vaccination and by the statistics of that era there should have been several cases of this by now. That probably reflects both a greater concern over the risk these days and that the select population being vaccinated is probably better at following directions than the general population. No group is perfect and when there's no recent example to validate a risk people mentally downgrade it. Hopefully the treatment (I presume the 'strong antiviral drug' is cidofivir) will work as well as theory predicted.

[SoldierMedic]

This vaccine isn't like others. It leaves an open wound on your arm, it needs to be dressed daily, is pusses. I personally cleaned and dressed a friend of mines injection site a couple of times before he left for Korea, and I cannot see how anbody could be beguiled into thinking that there was no risk in close contact with a child.

[PAR35]

Might one conclude that this is the father's first vaccination for smallpox? I don't recall any particular reaction when I used to get boosters.