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July 10, 2002

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Study Favors Different Tack on Smallpox"

New York Times (www.nytimes.com) (07/09/02) P. A16; Broad,

William J.

Researchers at Yale University and the Massachusetts Institute of

Technology compared four different mathematical models for

vaccination after a smallpox attack infecting 1,000 people in a

large city.  Ring vaccination led to the worst case scenario of

110,000 deaths and 350 days necessary to end the outbreak.  The

fact that smallpox vaccines can cause death and other severe side

effects has led to the government preferring the ring approach.

Mass vaccinations were found to be the most effective option,

with a best-case scenario of ending the outbreak in 115 days with

440 deaths.

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