By Crystal D. Swann
December 9, 2002

As President George W. Bush prepares to announce his vaccination recommendations for the smallpox virus, leadership at the Conference of Mayors was briefed via conference call by the top official on bioterrorism at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Dr. Jerome Hauer, Assistant Secretary for Public Health Emergency Preparedness, opened the conference call by noting that no final decision has been made by the President on who would be inoculated for the smallpox virus, but they expect one fairly soon. The Administration anticipates that out of every one million persons receiving the vaccine, 15 will experience adverse affects ranging from mild to severe, and there will be two to three deaths. Dr. Hauer told the mayors that President Bush and HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson are trying to strike the proper public safety balance between the potential threat of an attack and any pState officials were given a deadline of December 1 to submit their vaccination plans to HHS. The states- proposals were to include lists of those people that would be at greatest risk for exposure should a smallpox outbreak occur; for example, people for whom exposure might be an occupational hazard such as doctors and other medical professionals.

State officials were given a deadline of December 1 to submit their vaccination plans to HHS. The states- proposals were to include lists of those people that would be at greatest risk for exposure should a smallpox outbreak occur; for example, people for whom exposure might be an occupational hazard such as doctors and other medical professionals.

Yet while the decision to be vaccinated would be a voluntary one, the Administration calculates that between 30 and 40 million people in this country would for medical reasons nevertheless be eligible to receive the vaccine, such as persons with compromised immune systems, organ transplant recipients and pregnant women.

Furthermore, the vaccine itself carries the risk of contamination. As Dr. Hauer noted, the vaccine is a live culture and several days after vaccination, the body begins to shed the virus — creating a potential opportunity for vaccinated persons to contaminate others. The public will be made aware of how to care for the vaccination site in order to avoid contaminating others.

When asked by Advisory Board Chair Akron Mayor Donald Plusquellic who would be the first to receive the vaccine, Dr. Hauer replied that states were asked as a part of their proposals, to break their recipients lists into two groups — those at greatest occupational risk and first responders. Individuals under "greatest occupational risk" include healthcare personnel and public health response team members. The second group would include other local first responders, such as fire and police personnel.

Charleston Mayor Joseph Riley asked how long it would take to vaccinate the first responders after the President's announcement. Dr. Hauer responded that the first group could be inoculated fairly quickly — two to three weeks after the announcement. The second group could be done in a shorter period of time.

While there are no plans to inoculate the general public on a voluntary basis at this time, should an outbreak occur, there would be sufficient doses of the vaccine to cover the general public. Dr. Hauer stated that once an announcement is made, a public awareness campaign to educate the public on the risks and side affects of the vaccine is expected and mayors will be an integral part of the process.