Posted on 11/09/2001 4:57:24 PM PST by Magician
All Americans could be forced to have smallpox jabs under plans being considered by President Bush, despite fears that such a programme would kill hundreds.
Underlining White House fears about America's vulnerability to a new wave of bioterrorism, Mr Bush said that he was discussing with Tommy Thompson, the Health Secretary, whether to order mandatory vaccinations.
"One of my concerns is if we were to have universal vaccination, some might lose their life," he said. "But I'm looking at all options, all possibilities."
Authorities in the US have already announced that they intend to stockpile 300 million doses of smallpox vaccine, enough for the country's 260 million citizens. But last night was the first time that anyone had suggested they would be compulsory rather than used to cover an emergency.
Mr Bush made his remarks yesterday as he was touring the Centres for Disease Control in Atlanta, which houses one of only two officially kept samples of smallpox since the World Health Organisation declared in 1979 that the virus had been eradicated. Earlier this week scientists at the Vektor Institute in Siberia, which holds the other sample, gave warning that underpaid Russian workers could be tempted to sell the virus to terrorists.
The last case of smallpox was in 1977. The vaccine is fatal for one in a million cases.
People have been using viruses for years to protect themselves naturally against more pathological viruses. A healthy immune system is the best defense of all, far better than the dangerous antibiotics and antivirals after you get the disease.
People with weakened immune systems should not be exposed to smallpox, they'll surely die, they should also not receive the regular unattenuated viral vaccine because it can be dangerous and can kill those who have no immune systems. Only people who have an immune system should receive the vaccinia virus, it could be very dangerous for AIDS patients, just like chickenpox is a very minor disease for the typical child, but can kill kids on chemotherapy or others with weak immune systems.
I'm sure a sufficient number will respond but there will still be some trying to prove Darwin's theory.
Oops, Sungirl! This is absolutely correct! I just checked with my physician-wife and she agrees. It just goes to show that you cannot necessarily trust doctors' husbands! LOL. I only THOUGHT I understood the problem. A zillion apologies. :-(
Yes, I've seen the pictures AND I've heard the stories of what my husband went through after he got his vaccine. I'm not prepared to put my children through that, either.
the smallpox likely to be released would be an extremely virulent kind
I've not seen this documented anywhere. Can you site some sources?
FP
I think transcendental meditation is one of the best things for allergies or respitory problems. It's a matter of balancing the physiology and using the body's own intelligence to combat outside influences. It's a Hindu practice.
Bush-->"One of my concerns is if we were to have universal vaccination, some might lose their life," he said. "But I'm looking at all options, all possibilities."
Alas-->And just how, might I ask are they planning on enforcing that?
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Who's planning on enforcing what?
Shhhh...Let's keep that our little secret.
Why do you assume that "universal" refers to forcing all people to take the vaccination instead of offering all people to take the vaccination?
The vaccinations may kill hundreds, but the actual disease will kill millions if it's released. Frankly, I think it's a risk we have to take. Can you imagine if we were to lose 5 or 10 million people, or more, if it can't be controlled in time?
Smallpox kills 30% of its victims, and even if it were to be less deadly today, due to better medical care, 30% of the at-risk population would be an enormous number. And it's not even certain that those of us who had the shots 30 or more years ago, are still immune. We may all be at risk, all 280 million or so. If that's released here, we could lose a lot of people.
That's probably more likely from the anthrax vaccine (not smallpox) which I remember reading about; anthrax vaccine causes a lot of problems.
Yes, I've read the same thing. You can actually have the disease for up to 4 days, and be given the vaccination, which will then stop the disease apparently. As long as there's enough vaccine to go around, and the health authorities could get it distributed in time, it sounds like that would work.
Not if you were Christian Scientist, Jehovah's Witness or Brethren (closed not open), you wouldn't!
Why doesn't W simply make this a "faith-based" initiative? If your beliefs run counter to vaccination, then you are exempted!
Sorry, JimRob, this must be my Libertarian streak surfacing.
Anyone else out there against forced innoculations? Or are you all just rolling up your collective sleeves for Dick and Dubya?
I believe your stats are wrong..I believe it is 25-30% death rate from it...I would want to think about getting the vaccine
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