[patriciaruth]

Vaccination for small pox is not done with small pox virus. It is done with Vaccinia virus, cow pox virus, because cow pox virus induces cross immunity.

People with immune deficiencies, and people with eczema or other open sores on their skin can get over inoculated with the virus as it will take up residence in all open wounds. So people in the household or close friends of people who are vaccinated and shedding cow pox virus can be at risk if they have immune deficiencies from cancer treatment, transplant immunosuppression, steroid treatment, etc. Plus those with skin rashes and lesions are at risk.

To understand why we all got vaccinated back then you have to realize how great a killer small pox was and that the survivors were often terribly disfigured with scars.

That the U.S. and Britain are prepared to reintroduce vaccination tells you they must know something about what Saddam has been cooking up these past years. That to me is a terrible crime against humanity in itself and deserves the death penalty.

[Route66]

I'm sorry. I only meant that the virus that we would be vaccinated with was alive and could be spread through the use of the vaccine. I do know it's cow pox, but as you said, the vaccination is not without risk - which is why there has been so much deliberation about how best to use it.

I understand fully the risks of smallpox, and my point here has not been to say we should not vaccinate, only to counter the argument made by some that there is no danger in the vaccination process.