[Jim Noble]

I favor mass vaccination, but I don't agree that "those who choose" should be able to consume our 7-15 million dose stockpile prior to an outbreak.

The plans I have seen to deploy vaccine to abort an attack are well thought out and should not be compromised by vaccination on demand.

I think how effective we are being in producing new doses, or acquiring supply elsewhere, is (should be) a military secret, and I will not speculate on it.

If, after we have a supply to immunize the population (never-vaccinated first), we don't do so because of FDA regs or liability issues, no one will be more critical than I. For now, I think the people with the responsibility are behaving quite-responsibly.

[FITZ]

We'll see. I've read where they're saying there should be more supplies by summer and I don't see the responsibility in that because it just makes people afraid that it would take that long. I also don't understand why they don't make enough supplies now and let the terrorist know they shouldn't even bother using smallpox. I know they are waiting for the outbreaks to happen before they supply an area with the vaccine, they are counting on doctors, nurses and other hospital staff to treat smallpox patients, become exposed first to smallpox and then be vaccinated after the fact. They'll also expose their own families and friends who then can be vaccinated after the fact. I don't trust that theory of vaccination after you show smallpox symptoms.

[FITZ]

Maybe it should be a military secret and the citizens should be told something else other than the truth, but I'm not sure why. I think the terrorists would be less likely to bother trying it, if they knew we are ready to be vaccinated very soon, and the citizens would be less afraid.