Smallpox vaccine plan introduced

One of President Bush's plans in conjunction with the war on terrorism will soon have a direct effect on people in Indiana. The national smallpox vaccination plan will soon be underway in Bloomington. \nSelect area hospitals will begin vaccinating health care workers and professionals within the next two weeks, said Matthew McCardle of the Indiana State Department of Health public affairs office.\nSmallpox is a deadly disease which is fatal in approximately 30 percent of cases. However, it is largely believed to have been eradicated since 1972. \nMembers of the federal government, however, say it's possible that "hostile groups or governments" may have attained the smallpox virus and could threaten the United States with an attack. \nTherefore, medical volunteers throughout the country will be inoculated and trained to deal with smallpox infections, should an outbreak occur.\nThere will be enough of the vaccine to inoculate 3,000 people state-wide, McCardle said. However, all of these people must volunteer to receive the vaccine. \n"This is truly a volunteer program," McCardle said. "Each individual can make their own choice."\nThese volunteers will be inoculated and then organized into "Smallpox Response Teams" in order to treat the general public in the case of an outbreak. \nThis team will consist of two groups. One will be made up of public health professionals who would investigate possible cases of smallpox in the general population. The other group will be a medical response team that will care for those infected with smallpox in local emergency rooms, McCardle said. \nBloomington Hospital is currently in the process of recruiting volunteers for the response teams. \n"We have sent letters to staff and asked them to respond back by Feb. 1," said Vickie Vandeventer, Bloomington Hospital's infection control practitioner. "We have held information sessions, and questions and answer sessions."\nThis vaccine has more risks associated with it than most vaccines, Vandeventer said. \nThe Indiana State Health Department estimates that about one in every 1,000 people will experience serious allergic reactions to the vaccine. To make matters worse, between 14 and 52 people per 1 million vaccinated will experience potentially life-threatening reactions, and it's estimated that one or two people for every 1 million will die from these reactions. \nStill, many people have already volunteered to be vaccinated at Bloomington Hospital, Vandeventer said. \n"Overall, people seem pretty willing," Vandeventer said. \nIn order to avoid adverse reactions, individuals will be screened before receiving the vaccine. \n"There is an extensive pre-screening process," McCardle said. "We're confident that we'll have enough volunteers"