Bush to make smallpox vaccinations available for all, mandatory for military

SFGate .com ;AP via Drudge ^ | December 11, 2002 | Laura Meckler ;SCOTT LINDLAW

[woofie]

President Bush said Wednesday he will make the smallpox vaccine available to all Americans on a voluntary basis to guard against a bioterrorist attack.

As a first step, the president will order military personnel to begin getting smallpox vaccinations and will launch a plan to offer the vaccine to emergency medical workers and response teams within weeks, senior administration officials said.

[woofie]

I know Trent Lott is fun but this is important.....

[woofie]

bump/Ping

[Abar]

Bush to make smallpox vaccinations available for all

But whatever you do Bush, DON'T seal the borders, DON'T expel illegal aliens and DON'T offend muslims.

IT'S MUCH BETTER FOR US TO SUFFER A BIO ATTACK.

[samtheman]

I agree the borders should be sealed. But I still want my smallpox shot.

[Lizard_King]

Dammit. Just what I need...one more mandatory vaccine...I think it is a conspiracy to kill American troops by a thousand cuts...

[bonesmccoy]

roger that woofie... and thank you !

I saw a similar report on CNN with Aaron Brown tonight.

[zeugma]

Like many folks over the age of 30 or so, I recieved the smallpox vaccination when I was a kid.

Does anyone here know if smallpox vaccine is permanent or if booster shots are needed?

I wouldn't take it anyway, as I am not buying into the hysteria, but it would be useful to know.

[patriciaruth]

You guys are the ones we most need to be standing and already immune if we undergo a biowarfare attack. There won't be time for you to feel crappy or downright ill for a week after the vaccination in the event of an emergency.

And that is why we honor you all so much, or at least I do. Because you put your lives and health on the line to protect our country and our ideals. I pray daily for God to watch over you all in these dangerous times.

[patriciaruth]

But whatever you do Bush, DON'T seal the borders, DON'T expel illegal aliens and DON'T offend muslims. IT'S MUCH BETTER FOR US TO SUFFER A BIO ATTACK.

Considering we have open borders and that Mexico and Canada haven't stockpiled vaccine like the U.S. and the Brits have, the whole problem you worry about may be solved for you by Saddam Hussein.

[iceskater]

Like many folks over the age of 30 or so, I recieved the smallpox vaccination when I was a kid.

Does anyone here know if smallpox vaccine is permanent or if booster shots are needed?

I wouldn't take it anyway, as I am not buying into the hysteria, but it would be useful to know.

My boss is an expert on infectious diseases and I asked him about this yesterday. While they don't know for sure, the current thinking in medical circles seems to be that if you were vaccinated before 1972, you probably have some degree of protection should smallpox be unleashed. His recommendation to me was that if a case of smallpox occurs anywhere in the world, to get the vaccine. My hospital is not recommending that staff get the vaccine now. They are very concerned about transmitting the virus to cancer patients, transplant patients, other patients w/immune system problems. They think the risks are higher than the benefits - right now. All bets are off if a case of smallpox occurs anywhere in the world and the policy has a provision to adjust should that occur.

I was in a meeting this week where this policy was being discussed. A lot of questions were asked about when/if the military gets vaccinated. All of a sudden, the thought just hit me that when the military gets vaccinated, 3 weeks or so later, bombs will be dropping on Baghdad. It takes 3 weeks for the vaccine to be effective. After hearing all the stuff about smallpox, I just wonder if the government has some information about Saddam's smallpox program that is sparking all this. If so, then, military vaccinations could very well be an indication of when we go after Iraq. Maybe I'm making more of this than is warranted but this whole line of thinking just hit me very hard.

[buffyt]

I am in this group...."people with a history of eczema"...and so is my youngest son who is 18 1/2 now. I don't know what to do. I have been in hospital due to allergic reaction to drugs before and so has my other son who is 21. Hard decision. I wonder if highly allergic people with eczema could take the smallpox vacc. at a hospital with emergency room right there nearby???? I think the 6 hour treatment they gave my oldest son to save his life after taking Ceclor might work to save a person who has reaction to smallpox vacc.??????

[buffyt]

I never had the shot. I am 52. I wish I had had it now. The reaction to the shot for a first timer is worse than for a repeater.

[woofie]

Israel has immunized 30,000? people with no bad effects

[zeugma]

Thanks for the reply about smallpox vaccinations. I'll definitely keep it in mind.

[iceskater]

You're welcome. I hope it helps you make up your mind. I am somewhat ambivalent about getting the vaccine at the moment. But should a case of smallpox show up anywhere in the world, then it's a whole 'nother story. Smallpox is horrible but the vaccine isn't a cake walk either. I'm fortunate to work with physicians who know about this stuff and I trust their recommendations. But it a difficult dilemma.