U.S. to purchase 500 million Smallpox Vaccine Doses

DEBKAfile,AFP Wire, Drudge Report and World Net Daily ^ | November 28, 2001 | Terrorism Security Newsletter

[umbra]

No story for the evening update yet, just the headline..but I did find an interesting Agence France Presse wire article that says that the contract according to USA Today (now on Durdge) has an 'option' clause for an extra order of 250 million.

This is in addition to the first order for every man woman and child in the United States.

[tallhappy]

It will be neccessary to stop them. Do we have troops willing to machine gun the crowds trying to escape?

You were right.

But about the above, I don't think that would be necessary.

[Stevieboy]

Yes, why would someone 'not' want a vaccination?

[tallhappy]

I actually did not want to mention how Iraq could do it, but yes, you are right. I'm probably very silly to not want to say it because I am sure Iraq knows, but not every psycho would have an idea how.

[Iris7]

I don't think smallpox will be used, maybe. There is no way smallpox could be used as a weapon in the USA and not spread all over the world. The Islamic countries, becouse of poorer public health, will have a higher percentage of casualties.

[harpseal]

The information has been published already that is where I got it and absolutely anyone who read up on smallpox would have read of epidemics breaking out after floods had opened graves of other victims. All in all it is a most unpleasent disease that we will need to be prepared for fo a period of at least 250 years or so.

Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown

[tallhappy]

There is no way smallpox could be used as a weapon in the USA and not spread all over the world. The Islamic countries, becouse of poorer public health, will have a higher percentage of casualties.

I've heard this and it is certainly a rational and persuasive argument.

Two things, one is they are crazy and might not care.

The second is that under WHO these countries have all been vaccinated as well and they are not going to be without vaccine. And, while we stopped vaccinating routinely around 1972, other countries, especially third world ones, did not.

The countries in question very well have a much higher percentage of people vaccinated than we do.

[harpseal]

Why would someone not want a vacination? They may have a compromised immune system or be subject to certain skin conditions such as psoriasis or eccema which can cause complications. However, if enough people are vaccinated there is a certain herd immunity that would prevent the spread of the disease. The down side is we may expect one death for every 1,000,000 vaccinations. 300 million vaccinations would mean roughly 200 dead people. IT is a cost benefit thing and I honestly do not know enough to evaluate the risk of not starting to vaccinate the entir populace.

Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown

[stanz]

I just heard last night on Fox that the only people to be given access to the vaccine will be doctors, medical workers, police, firefighters, EMS and anyone who is believed to have been exposed to the virus. In the event of an outbreak, are the rest of us going to be given the vaccine?

[Nita Nupress]

Here's what vaccination with the bifurcated needle looks like:
http://jama.ama-assn.org/issues/v281n22/fig_tab/jst90000_f3.html

Here's what the 14-day progression of the pustule looks like:
http://jama.ama-assn.org/issues/v281n22/fig_tab/jst90000_f4.html

[sistergoldenhair]

Sure glad they found a cure
You can be vaccinated but not cured. There is some belief that anti-virals may be a useful treatment.

[Numbers Guy]

If Ridge said our 'goal' is to have 500 million-Why does it have to be done right now??

It has to be done as soon as possible. If we were attacked with smallpox tomorrow, we'd be in deep doo-doo. The vaccine won't be available for quite some time, but it's better to get the process going now rather than waiting. The sooner we have vaccine doses onhand, the sooner we can stop any epidemic in its tracks (vaccination still works even post-exposure).

[Numbers Guy]

I've told everyone who would listen for thirty years that stopping smallpox vaccination was nuts, because of course it will be used as a weapon if people aren't vaccinated.

The vaccine has severe side effects in a low percentage of cases. With smallpox eradicated, there was no point in having tens of thousands suffer major side effects, including death, especially when post-exposure vaccinations work.

Where the government screwed up was in not having enough doses on hand, and the blame for that rests squarely with the Clinton Administration, which took very little interest in the issue. Instead they focused on Ebola, which is scarier, but much more difficult to spread.

[Stevieboy]

In the event of an outbreak, are the rest of us going to be given the vaccine?

How long does it take for the vaccine to get up to snuff?

[riri]

While I generally don´t count on the powers to be to have foresight and act offensively, hopefully this is the case here. Because, god forbid, there is a small pox attack we and we alone will be resposible to act, treat, contain, etc. the whole planet. As usual, we will have to meet the challenge alone-with the help of maybe the Brits.

And then after saving mankind expect to be hated and criticized some more.

[Clinton's a rapist]

Remember what Saddam did when we kicked him out of Kuwait. He isn't going to go quietly into the good night. We had better be prepared before we take him out.

[Dog Gone]

Well, crap.

I had obviously repressed the memory of how gross that was.

[sistergoldenhair]

How long does it take for the vaccine to get up to snuff?
I've heard conflicting info, but that within 7 days of exposure will still provide protection.

[texasbluebell]

Or is it mandatory that everyone with a social security card get a shot.

I did hear some discussion about that a couple of weeks ago, that those who didn't want it could possibly opt out, and that because of all those who would want to get it, that would lessen the chance that smallpox would infect many anyway. So I think those running the show are aware of the fact that some people would prefer not to be immunized, and don't want to make that an issue. As for me, I'll definitely get in line, though.

[texasbluebell]

I've told everyone who would listen for thirty years that stopping smallpox vaccination was nuts, because of course it will be used as a weapon if people aren't vaccinated. All I ever got was "Huh?" or "the CDC says..." and now here we are.

Well, that makes 2 of us, but nobody was listening... I'm really steamed about it and have been since about 1980 or so. And I'm absolutely furious with WHO and congress who in their great wisdom did nothing to protect us, till the last minute. Let's just hope there's enough supply soon, just in case.

[texasbluebell]

And then after saving mankind expect to be hated and criticized some more.

Isn't that the truth!