Smallpox essays

Smallpox essays The issue regarding whether or not Americans should get the smallpox vaccine has been quite controversial recently with the prospect of a bio-terrorist attack. Although a threat of this nature might be possible in the future, I feel the medical risks that accompany getting the vaccination outweigh a possible threat of an outbreak. Therefore, I dont feel it as a priority to receive vaccination based on several medical studies surrounding the vaccination. Back in 1980, the disease itself was officially declared eradicated, and as a result, smallpox no longer exists outside the laboratory. However, two official stockpiles remain-one at the CDC and one in Siberia. The possibility that anti-American regimes, such as in Iraq, have obtained samples of the virus and have bred it into their weapons stocks is what has many Americans scared of a possible outbreak. Recently, the Bush Administration has proposed the idea of offering vaccination of the disease to all Americans, yet there are quite some risks associated with getting vaccinations, which have led way to extensive controversy over the issue. Several medical studies have discovered that when getting vaccinated, death may occur in rare cases, along with side effects unlike any other vaccine seen on the market. The unique aspect of this particular vaccine is the fact that the virus is live, meaning it can also be transmitted from the open sore caused by the vaccination to other parts of the body, or to other people. In the 1960s, 20 percent of bad reactions occurred not in vaccine recipients but among their household members and close contacts. Back in the 1960s when smallpox vaccination was still routine, the CDC came out with several shocking statistics if the entire population of the US was vaccinated. Based on those CDC statistics, around 300 people would die and another 7000 would accidentally spread the vaccine virus to somewh...