http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/release/2001/092801.html
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, September 28,
2001 |
CONTACT Cindy Parmenter,
(303) 692-2013 |
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SmallPox, Anthrax Vaccine Not Recommended for General Public DENVER - Colorado’s
acting chief medical officer said Friday that she is not recommending nor is
it being recommended nationally by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention that vaccines for anthrax or smallpox be given to the general
public. “We have no reason to
believe that there has been a biological release of anthrax or smallpox or
that one is imminent,” said Dr. Lisa Miller, Colorado’s acting chief medical
officer who is based at the Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment. “There also are no recommendations in Colorado or nationally
that these vaccines be distributed to the public.” Miller explained that
smallpox vaccine was removed from the commercial market in the 1980s because
of the eradication of the disease and now can be released only upon
recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control. She explained further
that anthrax vaccine, which is not available commercially except to members
of the military, is not recommended for routine vaccine of civilians at this
time. Miller also emphasized that preventive antibiotics are not needed for
anthrax, plague or any other bioterrorist threat diseases and public health
officials do not recommend prescribing them. “Inappropriate use of
antibiotics can lead to unnecessary harmful side effects and to development
of antibiotic-resistant organisms,” Miller said.According to Miller, the
Centers for Disease Control and other federal agencies have been making plans
for some time to be able to respond and to protect the public if a
bioterrorism attack were to occur. She explained that at this time federal
bioterrorism planning does not include routine vaccination with smallpox
vaccine. Miller explained that if
a bioterrorist attack were to occur, state and local public health
departments would be responsible for disseminating uniform treatment
guidelines appropriate to the situation and for ensuring coordinated and
rapid distribution of pharmaceuticals to medical facilities, medical and
response personnel and to exposed or ill members of the general public.
According to Miller, the
federal government has assembled a National Pharmaceutical Stockpile to
supplement local and state resources in the case of such an occurrence. The
stockpile includes immediate response push packages that are caches of
pharmaceuticals, antidotes and medical supplies designed to address a variety
of biologic or chemical agents. The push packages are positioned in secure
regional warehouses ready for immediate deployment to the airfield closest to
the affected area within 12 hours of the federal decision to release the
stockpile assets, she said. Public health agencies,
hospitals and state and federal law enforcement and emergency agencies in the
Denver metropolitan area participated in TOPOFF, a national bioterrorism
response exercise in May 2000. Also participating were similar agencies in Portsmouth,
New Hampshire, and in Prince Georges County, Maryland. Miller said that
participation in this exercise helped Colorado to lay the groundwork and to
launch planning for responding effectively to such an incident if one should
occur. ---30--- |
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ALL
INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR
GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE
KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS 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.