SMALLPOX VACCINATIONS CONSIDERED FOR ENTIRE U.S.

San Jose Mercury News ^ | 4/01/02 | Julie Sevrens Lyons & Lisa M. Krieger

[goody2shooz]

In a major shift in public health policy that underscores government concerns about bioterrorism, federal health officials are gathering enough smallpox vaccine to inoculate the entire country and are considering a widespread vaccination campaign.

By December, according to public health leaders in Washington D.C., the U.S. government will have more than 100 million doses of the vaccine in hand, an amount they say could be effectively diluted to make the shots available to everyone in the country. An inoculation effort using the sometimes risky vaccine would be new to millions of Americans born after the United States stopped offering the shots in 1972.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

The frozen smallpox vaccination storage only really became relevant after 9/11 and the anthrax scare. The stored vaccines were found in October, but the government authorities didn't reveal this information until the vaccines were determined to be viable.

[paulsy]

"Explain to the Muslims that if they attack us with smallpox (or any biological agent), then Mecca will cease to exist.

We're not gonna do that and you know it. What exactly is the point of this bluster?

deterrence

[tallhappy]

Forced vaccinations is a bad idea. Here's what needs to be done

Forced? Paranoid world view is a lot more dangerous than a vaccine.

Nuking Mecca after a smallpox outbreak in an unimmunized community won't save anyone from smallpox.

Vaccinating in advance will.

People who don't want to be vaccinated don't have to be.

It is irrational in that for decades, ending around 1970, everyone in the US and the world for the most part were vaccinated.

We survived that -- in fact it erradicated the disease.

[KineticKitty]

Bump

[tallhappy]

Say no to vaccinations.

And say yes to mass disease and death.

No thanks.

You are irrational. It is sad. You've taken for granted the disease free world that has been created by the use of vaccines so now you think it isn't real.

You can feel free to not get vaccnated. Maybe someone will go to your funeral.

[tracer]

Did anyone consider the cost of the necessary 300,000 lollipops in assorted flavors? Fiscal responsibility is in order here.....

[Black Agnes]

If you an everyone that you care about has been theoretically vaccinated in the event of an outbreak, what danger to you do the non vaccinated individuals pose? What hasn't been said is whether or not these vaccines have been prepared with (what some would consider HIGHLY) objectionable media (ie, fetal stem cell lines. The administrations early smallpox vaccine order included supplies from a lab that ONLY produced those in fetal stem cells, unlike earlier vaccines produced in chick egg media). Would there be a choice of vaccines for these individuals? Would you force Catholics and Evangelical Christians who had religious objections to be vaccinated against their will with what they would consider blasphemous material? Again, if you've been vaccinqted, these people pose NO danger to you They're only dangerous to other non-vaccinated individuals. If most people accept the vaccination, the size of an outbreak will be minimal. If your argument is to their ability to cost the system money, when do you want to outlaw snack foods, cigarettes and cars that go faster than 10mph?

[southland]

I have also been vacinated twice for smallpox and it "took" both times/ The second was at The University Of Alabama in 1970 where my Physician advised me to take another vaccination to thwart a bad case of Shingles. Believe it or not. IT WORKED. I have not had further problem with Shingles. Further information if needed.

[southland]

Small POx would likely spread very fast in the US and around the world. I say why not vacinate to prevent it when we know that Saddam has a large supply of the smallpox agent and will likely use it? What has he got to lose ??

[Protagoras]

They are people of intelligence and cunning. And they have at their disposal, tens of thousands of unthinking and unquestioning barbarians.

Sounds exactly like our government.

I wouldn't underestimate someone like that.

I don't.

[American in Israel]

Not heard of one yet, vaccine is still in testing stage. But if I hear of one I will post.

[Howlin]

How are you doing today? Keep safe!

[Jefferson Adams]

I love it when government weighs my possible death with some silly statistic.

No kidding.

My wife right now has a very compromised immune system - the result of another fedgov mandated vaccination that she received as part of her immigration last year. If she was forced to have the smallpox vaccine, it would likely kill her or at least do serious damage to her.

Not gonna happen.

[Mixer]

You are irrational. It is sad. You've taken for granted the disease free world that has been created by the use of vaccines

Vaccines contribute to other things like Autism. My nepshew is autistic and if there is a single chance in the worle that a vaccine caused it (many doctors believe it to be so) then I would say no ta vaccines. Are you that wrapped in your own world to make such comments that I am irrational without first thinking who you might be taling to? I guess for you it is easier to put someone down then to question why they say the things they say. Now you know why I feel the way I do about vaccines.

[Jefferson Adams]

I never realized the vaccines were so dangerous.

All vaccines are dangerous, this one apparently more so than most.

Do a web search on "vaccinations" and other words like "damage", etc. The personal horror stories will scare you to death. I did searches like that after my wife was hurt by a simple Tetanus/Diphtheria vaccine. She spent several months with terrible headaches and dizziness. She's FINALLY seeming to be over it - one year after the vaccination.

[Protagoras]

You can feel free to not get vaccnated.

It's called INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY AND PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.

Maybe someone will go to your funeral.

Or the funeral of the person who attempts to vaccinate me by force.

[flamefront]

Avoid anyone who looks the least like this:

[null and void]

BUT, they are clearly not as formidable as other enemies we have fought in the past (USSR, Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan), nor are they as formidable as enemies we are likely to fight in the future (China perhaps)

Really? NEVER underestimate the amount of damage a determined enemy can do with what's on hand.

[Mixer]

Tallhappy obviously didn't read the other concerns about vaccinations or did and is more irrational then me ; )