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Jan. 24, 2003 Contact: Bonnie Widerburg (503) 731-4180 Technical contact: Mel Kohn, M.D. (503) 731-4023 State preparing to begin smallpox vaccinations in March Vaccination of Oregon's public health and health care workers in preparation for a potential smallpox outbreak will not begin until at least mid-March to provide time to sort out legal issues and complete annual vaccinations of school children, say health officials at the state Department of Human Services (DHS). "Of course, if a smallpox case occurred tomorrow, we would begin vaccinations immediately,"says Mel Kohn, M.D., state epidemiologist in DHS. "In the meantime, there is no outbreak and there are unresolved legal questions. We need to finalize and practice vaccination clinic procedures. And, every health department in the state is in the midst of making sure kids have all their shots before school exclusion day in February." Today, Section 304 of the Homeland Security Act goes into effect. It contains federal liability protections that are intended to clear the way for the national smallpox vaccination program to begin. But Kohn says states need more clarity. "We still need answers to questions that county health departments and hospitals are asking. They are concerned about issues related to workers compensation, liability and loss of pay in the event of serious illness or even death resulting from the vaccine," Kohn says. "Right now, legal protections for those giving the vaccine and those receiving it who may become ill, or even the contacts of vacinees who could become ill are not clearly defined." Kohn says the risk of severe reaction to the vaccine is an important consideration. "Thirty years ago, before smallpox was eradicated, every citizen was routinely vaccinated. One in 25,000 persons vaccinated had a life-threatening reaction to the vaccine and one in a million died." The smallpox vaccine program was halted in 1972 because of concerns about the safety of the vaccine and because the disease was no longer a threat, according to Kohn. In December, Oregon submitted two plans for confronting a possible smallpox outbreak to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). One plan calls for vaccinating about 800 state and local public health and private hospital workers around the state against smallpox. These vaccinated health workers would be able to investigate potential cases, give vaccinations and care for potential smallpox patients. The second plan, which calls for wider vaccination, would be used only if an actual smallpox case were discovered. Kohn says DHS is preparing to implement its plan for vaccinating health workers. "Earlier this month, we trained 70 public health staff on how to do a smallpox vaccination. We're finalizing procedures to guide the operation of a smallpox vaccine clinic and will hold a practice clinic in early March,"he says. "The other concern is that this is a heavy workload time for public health,"says Kohn. "Health departments are working with schools and health providers to make sure kids have all their shots. That may mean putting on childhood immunization clinics. Exclusion day is Feb. 19 and if kids are missing shots, they must stay home until they get them." |
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