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August 19, 2002
U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS
"Some Parents Think Smallpox Vaccine Should Be Available Now"
USA Today ( www.usatoday.com ) (08/19/02) P. 5D; Manning, Anita
Amid fears of the threat of a bioterrorism attack, a small
contingent of worried parents and lawmakers are calling on U.S.
health officials to make smallpox vaccinations available to
schoolchildren upon request. Efforts are already underway to
produce enough vaccine to immunize every person in the United
States by next year; however, a panel of experts recently
recommended that because of the risk of severe side effects from
the smallpox vaccine, vaccinations be limited to medical
first-response teams. Nevertheless, many parents contend that
the risk of a bioterrorist attack exceed any side effects that
could result from a smallpox shot. In an attempt to make their
voices heard, several parents have joined an advocacy group
called Parents for Smallpox Protection to lobby Congress and
health officials to support their right to choose vaccination for
their children.
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