Immunization Newsbriefs (c) Copyright Information Inc., Bethesda, MD. Brought to you by the National Network for Immunization Information (NNii). Visit NNii's new website at http://www.immunizationinfo.org.
------------------------------------------------------------
December 18, 2002
U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS
"Pentagon Faces Difficulties in Smallpox Shots for Troops"
New York Times (www.nytimes.com) (12/17/02) P. A20; Grady, Denise
While the government balances on a precarious tightrope of ensuring the health and safety of the military against a killer disease and against the need for preparedness, David S.C. Chu, the under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness, issued a memorandum stating that decisions regarding the deployment of unvaccinated troops would be left to individual commanders. Defense Department spokesman James Turner said that unvaccinated troops deployed to areas where an attack with smallpox is launched will be inoculated in the field, because at that point, the deadliness of the disease outweighs the safety issues associated with the vaccine itself. How many personnel might be exempted from the vaccine for medical reasons is unclear at this point; however, those at increased risk of harmful side effects are those with skin rashes, or a history of eczema and atopic dermatitis, burns, certain skin infections, chickenpox, psoriasis, and severe or uncontrolled acne. Their presence as members of an active military unit, however, could pose logistical problems as they must also avoid close contact with those who have been recently vaccinated for at least two to three weeks because the vaccine itself sheds live virus. Vaccinia can infect others, causing serious illness in pregnant women, infants and people with immune or skin disorders. Another memorandum from the Department of Defense stated that unvaccinated and vaccinated personnel should not alternate use of cots, bunks or berths as is usually done onboard Navy ships, and that exempted individuals should avoid all contact with persons, or materials used by persons recently vaccinated. Turner noted that the new instruction would have to be interpreted by the services depending on their particular circumstances.
ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND
MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION
PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS
OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR
LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND
COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH
YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.