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September 16, 2002

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Bush Smallpox Plan in Final Stages"

Associated Press (www.ap.org) (09/14/02); Meckler, Laura

A Bush administration plan that is nearing completion proposes administering smallpox vaccinations to first response emergency workers before the general public.  Under the plan, hospital emergency workers--including doctors, nurses, technicians, and police--would be vaccinated first.  Included in this group are infectious disease specialists and emergency room personnel and security officers working at clinics, according to inside sources.  According to one authority, the first group of people vaccinated against smallpox could include over 1 million people, although officials noted that the plan is not yet final and that a decision is expected by the end of October.

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