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December 13, 2002

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Officials Up to the Task of a Vaccine Campaign?"

Los Angeles Times (www.latimes.com) (12/13/02) P. 44; Kemper, Vicki

President Bush is to announce on Friday a mass vaccination plan against smallpox that will include both military personnel and emergency healthcare workers, two of the groups at highest risk of exposure to the virus during a bioterrorism attack.  However, the biggest hurdle is to educate the general population about the disease, the risks associated with the vaccine, and how the virus could be used as a weapon.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched a public education plan targeting key audiences and has included a massive amount of information on its Web site in order to provide a sense of security about the vaccination program, according to Harvard School of Public Health director of risk communications David Ropeik.  He believes a wealth of information will allow the general public to make their own decisions, because if the government runs the vaccination program, it will fail as it has on previous occasions.  Bush must emphasize that healthcare workers can receive the smallpox vaccination on a voluntary basis and must ensure that non-vaccinated workers do not receive pressure to get the vaccine from employers or suffer retribution when they decide not to get vaccinated, according to Service Employees International Union President Andrew L. Stern.

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