Immunization Newsbriefs (c) Copyright Information Inc., Bethesda, MD. Brought to you by the National Network for Immunization Information (NNii). Visit NNii's new website at http://www.immunizationinfo.org.

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January 17, 2003

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"States Lag at Start of Smallpox Program"

Los Angeles Times (www.latimes.com) (01/17/03) P. 1; Kemper, Vicki

A Los Angeles Times survey of the state of national preparedness against a bioterrorism attack shows a surprising lack of uniformity among many states.  Information given by public health officials in 20 states revealed communication breakdowns between states and federal officials on basic matters like the arrival time states should expect shipments of vaccine supplies to get to them.  What is more, there was a noticeable disparity in the plans state health officials have implemented and those outlined in the Bush administration's smallpox vaccination program.  State health officials say there are many reasons why this is so, namely because states lack extra liability protections for hospitals and guaranteed compensation for vaccinated health-care workers who lose time on the job.  Also tempering the urgency to achieve full compliance with the president's program is a growing sense among states that a smallpox attack is not imminent and heightened awareness of the vaccine's risks.  Dr. Julie L. Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says the agency is "very pleased and impressed" with the headway states have made. "Because the smallpox threat is not imminent," Gerberding said, "we can put safety as our highest priority."

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