NJFFSA16
04-25-2003, 03:27 AM
MIAMI (AP) - The second stage of the Florida Department of
Health's smallpox vaccination program will begin May 1 with the
inoculations of some fire and rescue workers and others who would
be first to respond to a bioterrrorism attack.
Stage I covered 3,600 hospital personnel and health department
workers who volunteered to receive the vaccine. The program's Stage
III, which remains unscheduled, will be available to the public -
but only if a biological attack seems imminent.
There could be as many as 30,000 fire and rescue workers,
emergency medical personnel and law enforcement officials
inoculated under Stage II, health officials said in a conference
call Thursday.
Florida Health Secretary Dr. John Agwunobi said Stage I was
successful.
"Florida's first responders will fill a vital role in
responding to an attack of bioterrorism, so it is critical that we
offer them the opportunity to be vaccinated," Agwunobi said.
A health aide and a National Guardsman who received the vaccine
during Stage I both died of heart complications, but Agwunobi said
there's still no direct link between those deaths and the vaccine.
Officials at the federal Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention said they don't believe the vaccine causes or
exacerbates heart problems. But the CDC says it will have more
aggressive screening for people with heart problems.
Officials have also increased screening to rule out inoculations
of people with immunodeficiency diseases, skin conditions like
shingles and eczema, and women who believe they might be pregnant.
Nationwide, more than 33,000 people have been vaccinated for
smallpox since President Bush urged last year that the country
become better prepared for biological attacks.
---
On the Net:
Centers for Disease Control:
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/basics/index.asp
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Health's smallpox vaccination program will begin May 1 with the
inoculations of some fire and rescue workers and others who would
be first to respond to a bioterrrorism attack.
Stage I covered 3,600 hospital personnel and health department
workers who volunteered to receive the vaccine. The program's Stage
III, which remains unscheduled, will be available to the public -
but only if a biological attack seems imminent.
There could be as many as 30,000 fire and rescue workers,
emergency medical personnel and law enforcement officials
inoculated under Stage II, health officials said in a conference
call Thursday.
Florida Health Secretary Dr. John Agwunobi said Stage I was
successful.
"Florida's first responders will fill a vital role in
responding to an attack of bioterrorism, so it is critical that we
offer them the opportunity to be vaccinated," Agwunobi said.
A health aide and a National Guardsman who received the vaccine
during Stage I both died of heart complications, but Agwunobi said
there's still no direct link between those deaths and the vaccine.
Officials at the federal Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention said they don't believe the vaccine causes or
exacerbates heart problems. But the CDC says it will have more
aggressive screening for people with heart problems.
Officials have also increased screening to rule out inoculations
of people with immunodeficiency diseases, skin conditions like
shingles and eczema, and women who believe they might be pregnant.
Nationwide, more than 33,000 people have been vaccinated for
smallpox since President Bush urged last year that the country
become better prepared for biological attacks.
---
On the Net:
Centers for Disease Control:
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/basics/index.asp
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)