Word: smallpox
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Vaccination is the conscription of civilians in the war against bioterrorism. I personally would choose not to receive the smallpox vaccine. I would not have my family injected. I prefer the odds of getting the disease vs. the odds of inflicting injury or death by vaccination on my perfectly healthy child...
Nonetheless, it should not be my decision. When what is at stake is the survival of the country, personal and family calculation must yield to national interest. And a population fully protected from smallpox is a supreme national interest...
...determined that the enemy really has smallpox and might use it, we should vaccinate everyone. We haven't been called upon to do very much for the country since Sept. 11. We can and should do this...
President Bush has finally revealed his plans for protecting the nation against the threat of a smallpox attack, starting with vaccinations for the military, emergency medical personnel, and the Commander in Chief, but it's still not clear what the rest of us are supposed to do. Although the President is not recommending vaccinations for the general public (or his family) at this point, the Administration is known to be stockpiling enough vaccine to begin offering it to every man, woman and child by 2004. These vaccinations will be voluntary, which means we have to decide for ourselves whether...
...tricky issue because this particular vaccine is one of medicine's most dangerous. It doesn't contain the smallpox virus, but it does use a live version of a related one, called vaccinia, that can make you sick and, in rare instances, kill you. Most people just get a blister at the injection site and maybe some swelling of the arm. Others will feel tired or develop a low-grade fever; about a third will feel ill enough to miss work or school. Out of 1 million people, between 15 and 60 will develop serious complications, including encephalitis (swelling...