The goals of this smallpox response plan are to contain a smallpox outbreak and be able to quickly vaccinate people who are exposed. To meet these goals, administration officials announced the formation of Smallpox Response Teams who will receive the vaccine first.

These teams will be made up of health care workers and emergency responders. Once these people are vaccinated and have immunity, then they will be available to vaccinate people quickly if an outbreak occurs.

State officials in concert with the CDC and local health departments will identify health care workers and first responders who will make up these teams. Participation in the team is entirely voluntary.

The estimated number of team members to be vaccinated in this first wave is 10 million people. The administration states, however, there is enough smallpox vaccine now to vaccinate every person in the country in an emergency.

The President also announced that the Department of Defense will begin vaccination of military and civilian personnel who are deployed or may be deployed to high threat areas.

The government is not recommending that the general public be vaccinated at this time. People in the general public who insist on being vaccinated will be able to be vaccinated in 2003 with an unlicensed vaccine, in 2004 with a licensed vaccine, or may volunteer for an on-going clinical trial for a next-generation vaccine. The Department of Health and Human Services is working now to establish an orderly process for these options to be exercised.

The controversy over this plan stems from the risk of getting smallpox versus the risk of the vaccine. Smallpox is a disease that is fatal in 30% of unvaccinated people. However, vaccination results in death in 1 to 2 cases out of every 1 million people vaccinated. Added to the mix is the fact that vaccination within 3 days of exposure to the disease protects against the disease, and vaccination within 7 days of exposure can significantly reduce the symptoms. The result is that a disease that was conquered by what is now considered outdated medicine, has potentially resurfaced and must reconquered in today's technology.

Understanding the Smallpox Controversy

• Smallpox - The Disease
• The History of Smallpox
• The Smallpox Vaccine
• The Smallpox Vaccine Decision