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December 16, 2002
U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS
"Bush's Smallpox Plan Includes His Vaccination"
Wall Street Journal (www.wsj.com) (12/16/02) P. A6; Hitt, Greg
Under a sweeping new initiative to vaccinate some 500,000 key military, government and first-line medical personnel against smallpox, President Bush says he also plans to be vaccinated. The military shots began last Friday at the Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C. Late next month, first-line health care workers in each state will begin receiving immunizations, and after that the vaccine will be made more widely available, supplied to as many as 10 million local police, firefighters and emergency rescue personnel in the end. Concerned about the risks of the vaccine itself, Bush was heavily involved in shaping the inoculation program, which will be accompanied by an educational program designed to help the public and targeted workers weigh those risks when considering vaccination. Because of the risks of side effects from the smallpox vaccine, health officials are planning to set up a strict monitoring program to make sure that at-risk people, such as those with compromised immune systems, do not receive the vaccine.
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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.