Smallpox Vaccinations
TV ClubHouse: Archives: Smallpox Vaccinations
Halfunit | Wednesday, December 11, 2002 - 05:31 pm     Sitting here watching a 60 Minutes segment on smallpox and the vaccines that are coming. President Bush is expected to make an announcement on this Friday. If/when they do, my DH will be one of the first in my county to get one. Our county health department is planning on giving them out to emergency personnel sometime next spring. Just wondering what all your thoughts were on the vaccine, which has serious side effects. DH will probably be forced to get one, and I am advised against getting one due to my psoriasis, once they are available to the public. Just looking for opinions, and if they are made available to you, would you get one? Do you think an outbreak is inevitable? ½ |
Hippyt | Wednesday, December 11, 2002 - 07:30 pm     I watched it to half. Very interesting report.I knew about how horrible small pox is,but I had no idea about the side effects of the vaccine.I'm glad they showed it. I have psoriasis too,although I don't have breakouts very often,so I would never get it just as a precaution.Plus,I think I might have been vaccinated for this as a child. If it were available to the general public,I wouldn't take my family and get vaccinated,it's just too scary! If I was a health care worker,I think I might want to get it though. The thing I think about is,if the President is okaying this,with the side-effects that it has,he must be pretty convinced that an outbreak is giong to crop up.That scares the hell out of me! |
Meme9 | Wednesday, December 11, 2002 - 08:18 pm     I missed the show. I had the vaccine when I was young. Just wondering if it is still good without a booster. |
Queenfish | Wednesday, December 11, 2002 - 08:25 pm     I just remember standing in that line when I was about 4 yrs. old waiting for them to put that big gun in my arm. My dad kept telling me it would be allright and after I got the shot I could start school. I was so scared.But the big round scar on my arm was pretty cool. |
Willsfan | Wednesday, December 11, 2002 - 08:26 pm     I was told the shot I received as a child is no longer effective. I wonder why this vaccine is so much more dangerous than it was back then, or maybe it was and we just didn't hear about any incidents. My entire elementary school grades 1-6 got one and I don't "think" anyone was sick. |
Halfunit | Wednesday, December 11, 2002 - 08:34 pm     Meme - according to the report on the show, maybe yes, maybe no. They don't know. Hippyt - how did you like that line that, as far as diseases and outbreaks go, it would equal a nuclear bomb? I get so frustrated with the catch 22 situation those with compromised immune (infants,psoriasis, cancer, hiv, elderly, etc.) systems are put in. You are told that it's not a good idea to get the shot, but if this comes to fruition, you'll be more vulnerable in contracting the disease. It is very scary. ½ |
Hippyt | Wednesday, December 11, 2002 - 09:14 pm     That is the thing though,many of us here have had the vaccination when when we kids. There is no research on the effects of this. |
Halfunit | Wednesday, December 11, 2002 - 09:55 pm     I missed the childhood vaccination by months, so I don't know if I'm better off or not (lol?). |
Sia | Wednesday, December 11, 2002 - 11:47 pm     I was vaccinated against smallpox in childhood, so I would probably pass up the chance to be vaccinated again--just because of the side-effects. I don't know what decision I would make regarding my children. What a horrible choice to have to make. I don't want to get "political" here, but my question is this: since it was believed that smallpox was totally eradicated years ago, why was it decided that it would be okay to store live smallpox virus in various scientific institutes around the world, along with scary-virulent strains of other horrifying diseases? It was inevitable that some lapses in security would happen, and people like Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden and the unknown persons who are responsible for the anthrax mailings have been able to obtain samples in order to try and make biological weapons. Why keep such dangerous viruses on hand? I'm more confident of the security of these agents in the hands of the USCDC, but there are samples of viruses in the former Soviet Union and other places that may not be able to properly safeguard the viruses from theft or misuse. It just seems we're courting disaster. I know that vaccines are often made from killed viruses, but I'm just nervous having stockpiles of deadly bacteria and viruses stored. One more question: the smallpox vaccine has remained unchanged since it was invented; wonder why no one worked on an improved vaccine, since the original does carry a risk of contamination and infection with smallpox? |
Zachsmom | Thursday, December 12, 2002 - 08:06 am     One more thing to keep in mind..if a person (country) were to make a biological weapon of small pox..they would most likely mutate the strain. Even if you are vaccinated you cannot be 100% sure that you are innoculated against the virus. Why keep such dangerous viruses on hand? because we don't trust other countries NOT to use these viruses & bacteria against us. Better to have these bacterias & viruses in order to find antidotes and or vaccines in case of biological warfare.. |
Marysafan | Thursday, December 12, 2002 - 08:28 am     I was vaccinated at age 11. It left a horrible scar on my shoulder (I was sitting on a chair and the nurse was standing). It took may many years for the "bump" of scar tissue to go down. I have decided that I will not be innoculated again. I have lived an long life and have achieved a great many things. I have raised my family and met my grandchildren. I have no desire to finish out my years being a sick, or a burden to my family, or God forbid a resident of a nursing home. I will continue to live life...and accept that when my time is up...my time is up. I will make the most of the time availble to me. Younger people especially those with families to raise have a much larger dilemma. I feel that they should be a higher priority. I'll move to the end of the line. |
Karuuna | Thursday, December 12, 2002 - 08:59 am     Maybe some statistics will help? These are from an AP article which just references "studies done in the 60s". 15 out of 1 million people being vaccinated for the first time will have life-threatening complications, and 1 or 2 of those will die. Those who have been vaccinated previously without problems have less chance of experiencing complications. That means if everyone in the nation were vaccinated, 3000 would have life-threatening consequences, and about 170 would die. I was vaccinated when I was young, but health officials don't know if immunity lasts a lifetime. I really haven't decided what to do yet... |
Zachsmom | Thursday, December 12, 2002 - 09:45 am     I think the (earlier) vaccinations only last 5-10 years. |
Whowhere | Thursday, December 12, 2002 - 10:40 am     Small Pox FAQ from the CDC (Center for Disease Control) http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/overview/faq.asp How long does a smallpox vaccination last? Past experience indicates that the first dose of the vaccine offers protection from smallpox for 3 to 5 years, with decreasing immunity thereafter. If a person is vaccinated again later, immunity lasts longer. I will not be getting one until there is a recent documented case here in America. I know by that time it may be too late, but that's a chance I'm willing to take. |
Whowhere | Thursday, December 12, 2002 - 10:53 am     How safe is the smallpox vaccine? The smallpox vaccine is the best protection you can get if you are exposed to the smallpox virus. Most people experience normal, usually mild reactions that include a sore arm, fever, and body aches. In recent tests, one in three people felt bad enough to miss work, school, or recreational activity or had trouble sleeping after receiving the vaccine. However, the vaccine does have some risks. In the past, about 1,000 people for every 1 million people vaccinated for the first time experienced reactions that, while not life-threatening, were serious. These reactions include a vigorous (toxic or allergic) reaction at the site of the vaccination and spread of the vaccinia virus (the live virus in the smallpox vaccine) to other parts of the body and to other people. These reactions typically do not require medical attention. Rarely, people have had very bad reactions to the vaccine. In the past, between 14 and 52 people per 1 million vaccinated experienced potentially life-threatening reactions, including eczema vaccinatum, progressive vaccinia (or vaccinia necrosum), or postvaccinal encephalitis. Based on past experience, it is estimated that between 1 and 2 people out of every 1 million people vaccinated will die as a result of life-threatening reactions to the vaccine. Careful screening of potential vaccine recipients is essential to ensure that those at increased risk do not receive the vaccine. People most likely to have side effects are people who have, or even once had, skin conditions, (especially eczema or atopic dermatitis) and people with weakened immune systems, such as those who have received a transplant, are HIV positive, or are receiving treatment for cancer. Anyone who falls within these categories, or lives with someone who falls into one of these categories, should NOT get the smallpox vaccine unless they are exposed to the disease. Pregnant women should not get the vaccine because of the risk it poses to the fetus. Women who are breastfeeding should not get the vaccine. Children younger than 12 months of age should not get the vaccine. Also, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) advises against non-emergency use of smallpox vaccine in children younger than 18 years of age. |
Hippyt | Thursday, December 12, 2002 - 04:59 pm     Thanks for the additional info friends! |
Not1worry | Saturday, December 14, 2002 - 01:20 pm     I remember in Army basic training in 1990 we all lined up and they jabbed us about 6-8 times with a little needle with a vaccination on it. It blistered up and was sore and painful for weeks. Then it faded to the round scar. I can hardly even find it now. I guess that was the smallpox shot? Kind of a bummer that it didn't last but a few years! As it turned out I am overly sensitive to all vaccinations and I ended up being hosipitalized after every round of shots. |
Hillbilly | Saturday, December 21, 2002 - 03:29 pm     I was vaccinated three times when I was six...it just wouldn't ever form the scab and I have no scar to show for all the needle jabbing. After the third time...they finally gave up. I will probably get the shot when they offer it to the public. The side effects were present back when I was a child. The vaccines currently given today have been improved so that even with the flu shot there are very minor effects, if at all, but I do remember that the flu shot used to make you feel bad for several days after. I've seen pictures of the people who contracted smallpox. It's not pretty at all....I will take my 15/1,000,000 chance rather than with some religious fanatical terrorist who has vowed death and destruction to Americans. |
Sia | Saturday, December 21, 2002 - 04:01 pm     I had to really hunt the other day for my smallpox vaccination scar. You make a good point, Hillbilly. What a horrifying disease! What kind of evil person could unleash something so devastating upon the world? It just curdles my blood to realize how cold and calculatingly cruel a man would have to be to plan to deliberately do that. |
Hummingbird | Sunday, December 22, 2002 - 09:31 am     My husband and I searched for our vaccination scars the other night also. They were so prominent when we were youngsters but almost invisible now. You bet I'd get another one if I felt threatened. Smallpox is a horrible disease! Yes, it is chilling to think these people hate us so much and the only thing that will make them like us is if we are all dead. Of course Sean Penn and some of his pals think we can change all that by just being nice to them. |
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