[mykdsmom]

Can you ask your hubby a question for me?

One thing that I haven't seen addressed in all of this smalllpox talk is, are the people that had the smallpox vaccine when they were young still protected?

Just curious because my mom said that they all had the vaccine as children but by the time I was born they did away with it. She said the dr told her that hers never "took" because she didn't develop the classic scar.

Just curious.

MKM

[Martin Tell]

Smallpox vaccine protection lasts for about 10 years - so I was informed from a good "New Yorker" article (yes) a couple of years ago about the smallpox/bio-terror threat. I was vaccinated at birth and again for boy scout camp at age 12. 30 years later, I figure I need another. BTW, according to the "New Yorker" there were not nearly enough vaccine to go around. Maybe stockpiles have increased since then.

[alethia]

Some great answers further up this thread. I'm not sure I was comforted by the information -- but knowledge is power.

[willyone]

If it never took it was because she was one of the few who had natural immunity passed on from previous generations who were genetically resistant to the virus. I have been vacinnated numerous times and have never had a reaction. reason being that I was already resistant to it. Keep your fingers crossed that nothing comes of this.