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Officials urge states to revise smallpox vaccination plans

Emergency Management Alert, May 7, 2003

Falling short of initial smallpox vaccination goals, federal health officials want states to revise immunization plans to take into account budget constraints and the reluctance of people to volunteer for vaccinations, the Associated Press reports.

Updated plans should integrate vaccinations into larger preparedness efforts for a possible bioterrorism attack. Congress has approved nearly $1 billion to help states develop their plans.

States must determine what they need to handle an outbreak of smallpox, including new calculations of how many frontline workers should receive the vaccine now.

The federal government set a goal of vaccinating about 450,000 health care workers in hospitals and public health departments during the first 30 days of the program, which began in January. The second phase called for 10 million others including emergency responders and other health workers, to receive inoculations.

But after three months, less than 35,000 people have received immunizations. Many voiced concern over the vaccine's rare but serious side effects, and some are skeptical about the need for such a large-scale campaign. Although Congress passed a compensation plan for victims of the vaccine's side effects, the number of those willing to receive vaccinations remains low.

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