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February 19, 2003

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Inoculating Health Care Workers for Smallpox"

Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com) (02/18/03) P. B1; Morello, Carol

Health care workers continue to debate the risks associated with the smallpox vaccine.  President Bush wants to immunize 500,000 healthcare workers in the short term, and as many as 10.5 million over the long term.  So far, though, only about 1,000 workers have opted for the vaccine and 100 hospitals have decided not to vaccinate their workers at all.  Even hospitals close to likely epi-centers of a terrorist attack--such as Washington, D.C.-- are divided.  "Some are gung-ho and have more volunteers than they dreamed of," says Carl W. Armstrong, vice president of the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association.  "Others have very few.  And still others are wrestling with their decision."  A small percentage of people who choose to be vaccinated may experience severe complications such as blindness or encephalitis, but the risk of not being vaccinated is much greater, according to Jeffrey A. Elting, medical director of hospital bioterrorism preparedness of the D.C. Hospital Association.  "It probably is common sense to get the vaccine if you're in one of the top terrorist targets in the world," Elting says.

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ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE.  THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.