U.S. to purchase 500 million Smallpox Vaccine Doses

DEBKAfile,AFP Wire, Drudge Report and World Net Daily ^ | November 28, 2001 | Terrorism Security Newsletter

[umbra]

Why is this being done so hush-hush?

Will post the update when the story comes, Developing...

[Republic]

For some reason, I am unfamiliar with this threat. Is this something that has some real basis in fact? Are we under a genuine smallpox threat? I sure would like to know why those in the know are getting the small pox vaccine lined up so rapidly. If it is purely precautionary, kudos. But I would like to know if it is MORE than precautionary, ie, a real threat exists. And from where?

[harpseal]

Over a month ago Tom ridge had said the USA would be purchasing more smallpox vacine with the goal of having 500 million doses available. If an out break occurs anywhere on the planet we would be providing vacine to stach the epidemic. There are approximnately 300 million Americans this policy does seem to be a good one IMHO.

Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown

[umbra]

Why are we suddenly doubling our order right now?

[tallhappy]

Why is this being done so hush-hush?

An article about it in a major news agency is not hush hush.

[meridia]

It's about time...

Say, Alamo-Girl: I forgot the NAME of the smallpox list here at FR, so that this article can be indexed there -- do you recall the name of it?

[umbra]

If Ridge said our 'goal' is to have 500 million-Why does it have to be done right now??

[Dixie Mom]

Index bump. To search for smallpox articles, click here: Smallpox List. Please ping all articles relating to smallpox to the list.

[Alamo-Girl]

Sorry, I don't know the smallpox list name...

[elfman2]

Probably because of the panic. Even this post in "Breaking News" is going to send some Freepers off the deep end.

I see you're too new to have taken part in the Great Anthrax Panic here around October 8th. It was fueled by a few newbies (like you) who signed on October 4th and 5th, and were banned within a week.

[tallhappy]

I think it is precautionary. But the threat is out there either potentially or more directly.

People around 30 and under in this country were never vaccinated against small pox because it has been eradicated as a communicable disease caught in normal circumstances.

Those older who were vaccinated, everyone pretty much, may have become non-immune over time. So most people would be susceptible to small pox if an outbreak occurred. It is a particularly nasty disease and killed about 30% of the people it infects.

As far as the threat, the Russians grew vats of it as a bio warfare agent. This means it is still around somewhere somehow. Terrorists could get their hands on it, potentially.

But even if they couldn't get it from Russians, it is conceivably available for Iraq. The only known internationally agreed upon stock of the virus is in Atlanta at the CDC and in Russia. These were kept as a repository of a dead disease. There had been plans to destroy this last remaining stock. This is not where Iraq could get it.

But, there are ways Iraq could get and develop it completely inside their own country that are not far out or difficult to imagine.

I think that the small pox vaccines are pre-cautionary, but perhaps there is intelligence that is classified that indicates it is more than a potential threat.

Anyways, it is a good idea to do this and I believe we should begin standard vaccinations again like we did for centuries as a precaution.

[wewillnotfail]

hush hush??? It's been on FNC all day.

[TBall]

"Why does it have to be done right now??" Because it should have been done years and years ago. Amazing that resources wern't used a long time ago to prevent this vulnerability.

[ikanakattara]

I thought that ever since the beginning of the anthrax cases, the US decided that it was NOT going to get caught with its collective pants down in the event of a smallpox bioattack. Even if we DID bomb the offending country into glass, we'd still have to deal with the potential serious consequences of a smallpox epidemic.

There are good reasons to increase the # of doses. The vaccine is relatively cheap and it probably doesn't double the cost to double the # of doses.

First off, not all people "take" (i.e. get immunity) with the first dose. If the vaccine is anything like the old ones we had (pre 1970), then at least some people are going to have to get revaccinated.

Second, there's always a chance of losing some stock due to accident, power failure, sabotage, etc.

Finally, having excess stock of vaccine can serve as a powerful inducement to either the offending country to surrender, or to other countries to join us if they themselves do not have the vaccine. We can also use excess vaccine stock to supply our allies (Great Britain? Turkey?)

Keep in mind that any smallpox bioattack will hurt the 3rd world/Muslim countries FAR worse than it will hurt us, even without immunization. It's also possible that those of us who were immunized prior to 1970 might have some residual immunity - which many in the 3rd world do not have. The thinking here might be "Better safe than sorry."

[umbra]

I believe that children had stopped testing around 1972.

[Alas]

Make it 499,999,999. I don't want one, thank you very much.

Will that be allowed? Or is it mandatory that everyone with a social security card get a shot.

[Cyber Liberty]

It was done years and years ago. The problem is that the stuff has a shelf-life, and that the CDC (I think) decided it wasn't necessary to keep the stocks replenished.

[meridia]

Thanks, Dixie Mom! I tried Smallpox, but that didn't work -- next time I'll try the OBVIOUS: Smallpox List!!!

[Warren]

Why can't they save money and buy 50 million largepox doses.

[Ditto]

Make it 499,999,999. I don't want one, thank you very much. Will that be allowed?

Depends, but the first time you see someone who looks like this......

I bet you change your mind.