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To: madfly
You can't make the smallpox virus into smaller weaponized particles. It's not like anthrax.

The only debate is whether to issue vaccines or not, and the only reason to hesitate is that the vaccine has a mortality rate associated with it.

Assuming we get enough vaccine for the American public again, we could easily do it. The problem is that it would kill a couple hundred people. Do we kill that many in order to safeguard the rest?

The current thinking is no. The vaccine is still effective even after initial exposure, so the plan would be to vaccinate in circles around an initial outbreak, or possibly to vaccinate all first-care providers now.

That assumes that someone attempting kill Americans would do it only a few areas, something which is no sure bet.

80 posted on 06/09/2002 4:24:07 PM PDT by Dog Gone
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To: Dog Gone
You can't make the smallpox virus into smaller weaponized particles. It's not like anthrax.

You don't need to, it's a virus (tiny). To weaponize it, you would work on culturing more virulent strains and developing better areosolization methods. Or just buy a vial from a lab tech from the USSR.

Some rural area in Pakistan would be a good place to conduct a field trial, IMHO. But no, people like Tommy Tompsom have told us we have nothing to fear, and he has everything under control.

83 posted on 06/09/2002 5:14:15 PM PDT by OReilly
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