Bush Smallpox Plan Takes A Shot

[Guest guest]

This was interesting...

Misty

http://www..com

 

Bush Smallpox Plan Takes A Shot

By Diana Lynne

© 2002 WorldNetDaily.com

12-19-2

 

Days after President Bush outlined his plan to take a pre-emptive

strike against the possibility that terrorists would use smallpox as

their next weapon of choice against Americans, emergency medical

providers have refused to participate amid the risk of side effects

and the threat of liability issues.

 

" At this point in time, the risk of the vaccine far outweighs the

benefit of getting the vaccine, " Dr. Carlos del Rio of Emory

University told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Del Rio backs the

decision by his staff of emergency workers at Grady Memorial

Hospital not to roll up their sleeves.

 

Unions representing healthcare workers also condemn the plan.

 

Smallpox is a deadly but preventable disease. Most Americans who are

34 or older had a smallpox vaccination when they were children. By

1972, the risk of smallpox was so remote that routine vaccinations

were discontinued in the United States.

 

In 1980, the World Health Organization declared smallpox had been

completely eradicated. Since then, there have been no natural cases

of the disease anywhere in the world.

 

" We know, however, that the smallpox virus still exists in

laboratories. And we believe that regimes hostile to the United

States may possess this dangerous virus, " Bush announced last week,

but stressed the government has no information on any imminent

threat.

 

The president detailed a two-tiered strategy which starts with

mandatory vaccinations for 510,000 military personnel who serve

in " high-risk parts of the world. " Next in line would be 440,000

civilian health workers in hospital emergency rooms and then the

first responders - police, firefighters and EMTs. The administration

recommends at least half of 10 million first responders be

vaccinated.

 

Plans for the first wave of vaccinations have been drawn up by every

state. The vaccination program will begin in late January and end

four months later.

 

The smallpox plan for troops comes as the government still weathers

controversy over its anthrax inoculation. As WorldNetDaily reported,

hundreds of military personnel refused that mandatory vaccine. This

after, some 100,000 Persian Gulf War veterans got sick with a still-

unexplained syndrome many suspect has to do with vaccines they were

given and the possible exposure to chemical or biological weapons.

 

" As commander in chief, I do not believe I can ask others to accept

this risk unless I am willing to do the same. Therefore, I will

receive the vaccine along with our military, " Bush said.

 

Will the Department of Health and Human Services secretary be

inoculated?

 

" Absolutely not, " retorted Tommy Thompson on CNN's Late

Edition. " The president is doing it because he is the commander in

chief. And he believes that if he is ordering his troops, the troops

of America, the armed forces, to get this vaccination, he should do

it as well. He's doing it as the commander in chief. ... I am not,

and I would strongly recommend other people in the Cabinet not

request a vaccination because I do not believe it is necessary or it

should be taking place, " he continued.

 

According to Thompson, a vaccine will likely be licensed in the

coming months but the government would not be recommending the

general public get the vaccination before early 2004.

 

The risk of suffering adverse side effects from the vaccine are

deemed greater than the risk of getting infected from a terror

attack. Unlike other vaccines, smallpox is a live virus.

 

For every 1 million vaccinations, the Atlanta-based Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention estimates, there will be one to two

deaths. Fourteen to 52 other individuals could have life-threatening

diseases such as encephalitis, or swelling of the brain. And then up

to 900 others would suffer less severe effects that range from

rashes and fevers to progressive swelling and scarring.

 

People who are immune-suppressed, have cancer or are taking cancer

treatments and individuals who have eczema or other atopic

pharmaceutical problems are urged not to even consider getting

inoculated.

 

A recent government study of 200 healthy young adults found one-

third missed at least one day of work or school, 75 had high fevers,

and several were put on antibiotics because physicians worried that

their blisters signaled a bacterial infection.

 

Tony Fauci, director of the NIH's National Institute for Allergy and

Infectious Diseases, told the Houston Chronicle that when he speaks

at public meetings, about 60 percent of people initially say they

want the vaccine. After he shows slides of its side effects the

number of those who say they want the shot drops to 15 percent to 20

percent.

 

Andrew Stern, president of the 1.5 million-member Service Employees

International Union decries the " unnecessary risk " posed for

hospital workers and their patients under Bush's plan.

 

" No one should get this vaccine without getting screened and

understanding the risk for themselves and their family. But under

this plan, only people who can afford to pay for the tests or whose

insurance might cover it will be protected, " he said in a statement.

 

Thompson also stressed the need for screening, noting that everyone

who volunteers for the vaccine will need to fill out a

questionnaire.

 

" We expect that monitoring of the safety of this vaccine will be

exemplary, " Dr. Julie Gerberding, head of the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention, told reporters in a telephone briefing.

 

Georgia's health director put a positive light on Grady Memorial

Hospital's refusal to participate in the plan.

 

" I am not concerned. I think it's a reflection of the fact that we

have done our job in making people realize that this vaccination is

voluntary, " Dr. Kathleen Toomey told the Journal-Constitution. " We

are not strong-arming them in any way. "

 

According to Toomey, hospitals have expressed concern that recently

vaccinated people pose a risk in wards full of patients with weak

immune systems.

 

" We are hearing about issues of liability for vaccine injury, and

issues of workmen's compensation - in the rare but possible event of

a complication, how are the hospitals going to pay? " she asked.

 

Diana Lynne is a news editor for WorldNetDaily.com.

 

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=30079