The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention plans to create mobile teams staffed with eight people each to respond to potential smallpox outbreaks, according to yesterday’s Boston Globe.  The CDC plans to release a full smallpox response plan in two or three weeks as part of national efforts to prepare for potential terrorist attacks. 

Under an outline of the plan, eight-person teams would respond to any reported smallpox cases, isolate the patient, vaccinate everyone who had recent contact with the patient and then vaccinate a second ring of people who were exposed to those who had contact with the patient, the Globe reported. 

Several experts said that despite the enormous amount of work required to track down and vaccinate that many people, the move was necessary.  “I think you have to do the secondary ring.  You have to assume that … those people still might get sick.  The wider you take that second ring, the wider the insurance policy you have,” said Walter Orenstein, director of the CDC’s National Immunization Program. 

The response teams would include a physician leader, a senior public health adviser, two epidemiologists, a lab specialist, a communications specialist, a community liaison and a technical support worker.  The teams would cooperate with state and local officials. 

The CDC has already vaccinated 140 first-responders (see GSN, Nov. 6) against smallpox (John Donnelly, Boston Globe, Nov. 8).

U.S. to Choose Smallpox Vaccine Producer

Meanwhile, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson could award a contract today to one or more of the companies remaining in negotiations to produce enough smallpox vaccine for the U.S. population (see GSN, Nov. 8).  Thompson said he could announce the contract winner or winners shortly after a meeting with company representatives today.

Issues of liability and antitrust laws must still be negotiated, Thompson said. 

The proposed vaccine would be made from live vaccinia virus (see GSN, Oct. 24) and would be purer than the old vaccine, although it would have the same risk of negative side effects (Linda Lloyd, Philadelphia Inquirer, Nov. 9).

Will the U.S. Vaccinate All Americans?

U.S. President George W. Bush said yesterday that he was discussing with Thompson the possibility of requiring all Americans to receive a smallpox vaccination.  He expressed concern that a mass vaccination program could kill people due to the vaccine’s side effects.  “One of my concerns is if we were to have universal vaccination, some might lose their life.  And I would be deeply concerned about a vaccination program that would cause people to lose their life … but I’m looking at all options,” he said (Federal News Transcript, Nov.8).

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