Wed Dec 11, 7:41 PM ET By LAURA MECKLER, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal health officials are considering a national television ad campaign as part of an effort to help people decide whether to be vaccinated against smallpox, a disease not seen in this country for more than a half century.
Officials said Wednesday that an education campaign aimed at the general public will begin soon after President Bush (news - web sites) announces plans for offering the vaccine.
Polls, including one released Wednesday, show most people would get the vaccine if given the chance. But health officials fear that many people do not adequately understand the risks.
"The success of a vaccination program is going to depend on our success in communicating with people accurately and openly," said Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (news - web sites). That includes explaining the risks of the disease — and of the vaccine.
The education effort has several elements, including outreach directly to health care providers. Already, some of it has begun quietly.
Last week, 37,000 clinicians and public health officials participated in an eight-hour CDC smallpox tutorial that covered how to vaccinate people and how to run a vaccination program. Nearly 150,000 clinicians have seen a CDC smallpox video explaining how to diagnose someone with the disease. Some 250,000 pamphlets explaining the details of vaccination have been distributed over the last several weeks.
The CDC Web site has been loaded with data and photos about vaccination and about the dangerous side effects that can accompany it.
Next week, the CDC will host representatives from each state to train them on how to deliver the vaccine. These people will then train others in their states.
Once the vaccination program is announced, officials will begin targeting information to the general public. Among the options are TV ads, Gerberding said.
"We'll be moving very aggressively," said Joe Henderson, the CDC's bioterrorism chief.
Smallpox was declared eradicated from earth in 1980, but experts fear it could return in an act of bioterror.
But the vaccine itself is also risky. Studies from the 1960s suggest that for every million people being vaccinated for the first time, 15 will face life-threatening side effects and one or two will die.
Bush is considering how quickly to offer the vaccine. Top health officials have recommended a phased program where the vaccine would be offered first to hospital emergency room workers and special response teams, then to first responders and all other health care providers and finally to the general public.
Once these vaccinations begin, and once the first death or serious side effects are reported, enthusiasm for the vaccine is likely to plummet, said Jerry Hauer, the top bioterrorism official at the Department of Health and Human Services (news - web sites).
Officials also fear that any negative publicity about the smallpox vaccine could dampen enthusiasm for regular childhood vaccines, which are very safe. But that can be minimized with good education up front, Hauer said
What the nay-sayers are trumpeting are just the facts about the inconveniences associated with the smallpox vacination...which I might add, are extremely minor compared to the inconveniences of having the disease...scarring for life if you live or more likely, death if you don't!
The Tinfoil Beret Commandos are way off base here. It shows how damned far down the intellectual food chain we have slipped since the 1950's!