APFN
Bioterrorism Links....
Sat Dec 7 01:57:45 2002
208.152.73.14

Bioterrorism Links....
http://www.sabin.org/links6.htm

Bioterrorism Information & Resources
http://www.idsociety.org/bt/toc.htm

So why does the government resist mass vaccination?
http://www.sanantoniolightning.com/pale2.html

There appear to be some good reasons. The smallpox vaccine is not completely safe. Experts at Johns Hopkins have estimated that during previous vaccination programs, about one in 300,000 people died, or suffered brain damage. Given that rate, if all 280 million Americans were to be vaccinated, nearly a thousand people could be expected to die or suffer severe health problems.

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The obvious answer is to make vaccinations voluntary but available to the general public. By doing this in advance, rather than waiting for a national crisis, we would allow for a number of advantages.

As with other medical procedures, this would give people the opportunity to fully explore with their physician whether vaccination poses a personal risk. Also, it would afford time for counseling and educating the patients, which are vital steps in live virus vaccinations.

It would also help safeguard the nation's blood supply, which would be severely disrupted during a rapid, crisis-driven vaccination program.

Should only a minority of the public chose vaccination, those people's immunity would protect them in the event of an attack. It would also slow the virulent spread of this terrifying disease, in a situation where time is of the ultimate essence.

By doing so, terrorists would be deprived of an important weapon, or at least see its effectiveness greatly diminished.

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Prevention is the answer we should seek.

We can no longer wait to react to such a crisis. Reaction is simply a new synonym for failure in a post 9/11 World.

At least with action, we have some control over a situation. Otherwise, the situation will tend to control us.

And in these dangerous times, we cannot afford the luxury of inaction.

We end this series with the complete text of the confidential memo with which we began.

Though none connected with this memo have chosen to speak with the Lightning, we believe the words themselves may suffice as a warning.

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PUBLIC HEALTH AND PATIENT ADVOCACY COMMITTEE OF THE BEXAR COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY

STATEMENT ON REGIONAL SMALLPOX VACCINATION PLAN

October 14, 2002

As a committee we believe the presently proposed regional smallpox vaccination plan cannot work. The committee recommends instead that a community-wide smallpox vaccination plan begin immediately starting with first responders and healthcare workers. The community would be offered vaccine in a progressive staged manner that would maintain an adequate blood supply* for the community, allow time to counsel persons at risk for serious complications from vaccination, provide public as well as healthcare worker education, and lessen concerns about vaccine distribution in a timely manner to a large population.

The information gained about at risk individuals will begin a registry that could guide decision-making concerning vaccine administration in the event the population is exposed to smallpox, and provide valuable information for later study.

The providing of vaccine to the majority of the community would rid the terrorists of one of the most lethal weapons at their disposal. This would give the population some control and reduce the threat of one terrorist approach.

*Recipients of live virus vaccines are deferred from donating blood for 14 days.

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See Related Story
Feds to Monitor Smallpox Vaccine

In an Emergency

If you believe that you have been exposed to a biological or chemical agent, or if you believe an intentional biological threat will occur or is occurring, please contact your local health department and/or your local police or other law enforcement agency.
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/EmContact/index.asp