[MarkWar]

>For that reason the government instead built its plans around a containment strategy. Vaccine would be stockpiled for use in case of an outbreak. If smallpox were spotted, authorities would declare a health emergency and rush to vaccinate (or quarantine) everyone likely to have crossed the virus's path. (Fortunately, the vaccine is effective even when given a few days after exposure, so in principle post-outbreak vaccination could stop the spread.) There is certainly something to be said for the containment strategy...

How many people would not have AIDS today if a "containment strategy" had been used at the start of that outbreak? Why is there "...certainly something to be said for the containment strategy" regarding smallpox, but not AIDS?

Mark W.

[balrog666]

Why is there "...certainly something to be said for the containment strategy" regarding smallpox, but not AIDS?

Could it be that we know how smallpox is transmitted and how contagious it is to everyone while the probability of contracting AIDS if you are outside of the obvious risk categories is essentially nil?

[samtheman]

Why is there "...certainly something to be said for the containment strategy" regarding smallpox, but not AIDS?

The containment strategy for AIDS is easy: keep that bad-boy contained within your pantaloons!

[!1776!]

A multiple year latency period might have been one problem with it.