Hospitals still considering anthrax vaccines
Emergency Management Alert, September 3, 2004
Many U.S. hospitals are choosing not to vaccinate their staff members, the Visalia (CA) Times-Delta reported last week.
Some experts don't see the value in vaccinating first responders and hospitals workers. According to Melissa Janes, a registered nurse and director of infection control at Tulare (CA) District Hospital, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doesn't recommend vaccinations before an attack.
Anthrax doesn't spread through human contact like smallpox, but requires direct contact, said Mary Ontiveros, division manager for public health services for the Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency. In most cases, first responders would wear personal protective equipment before entering areas contaminated with anthrax.
The anthrax vaccine's unknown side effects are still a concern for many hospitals. "The last thing you want to do is be somebody's guinea pig," said Charlie Norman, a battalion chief for the Visalia (CA) Fire Department.
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