Addressing the Senate Health, Aging and Long-term Care Committee, Agwunobi said that while the federal government started shipping the smallpox vaccine to several states Tuesday, Florida wanted to finish training people to administer the vaccine before starting the program next month.

Smallpox was eradicated in 1980, but fears that leftover stocks could pose a bioterrorism risk has led to a push for renewed vaccinations.

In the first phase of its program, Florida will vaccinate about 30,000 disease investigators and front line hospital employees. For hospital workers, the vaccination is voluntary.

Over coming weeks, federal officials hope to vaccinate up to a half-million emergency room workers and those on special smallpox response teams. During the program's next phase, the vaccine will be offered to 10 million other health care workers and emergency responders, also on a voluntary basis.

The military has a mandatory smallpox vaccination program under way.

Eventually, the vaccine will also be offered on a voluntary basis to members of the general public. With smallpox not seen for more than two decades and no imminent threat of the disease's return, Agwunobi said his agency isn't recommending whether average citizens be vaccinated.

Sen. Alex Villalobos said he thought health officials appeared to be moving very casually, considering that the country could soon be involved in a war and terrorism might increase.

"I believe Florida is terribly unprepared for such an attack," said Villalobos, R-Miami. "There's a very real possibility that we will be at war with Iraq within weeks."

Agwunobi responded that if a case of smallpox were detected, the vaccination program would quickly move into another phase and inoculations would be sped up and available to more people.

"I'm very confident that if we were attacked ... we'd be ready," Agwunobi said.

------

On the Net:

Federal government smallpox information: www.smallpox.gov

State Department of Health: www.doh.state.fl.us