Due to rising concerns about bioterrorism, the White House announced on December 12, 2002, that it planned to make the somewhat risky smallpox vaccine available to all Americans by 2004. The Bush Administration was concerned about releasing the smallpox vaccine to the public because hippies might get a hold of it and exploit it for recreational purposes; also, the vaccine is known to cause life-threatening side effects in certain individuals, and one or two people out of every million who are vaccinated can be expected to die from those side effects.
Beginning in January 2003, vaccination for smallpox will be mandatory for about 500,000 military personnel. The vaccine will be recommended for another 500,000 individuals who work in hospital emergency rooms or staff biohazard response teams. In early 2004, the White House estimates that the United States' enormous smallpox vaccine stockpile will be ready to be licensed and released to regular doctors, who can then distribute the vaccinations to any individual with twenty bucks and a thrill-seeker attitude.
The White House also made it clear that while it was releasing the smallpox vaccine to the public, it was not necessarily encouraging people to become vaccinated. The smallpox vaccine routinely produces more side effects than any other vaccine dispensed in the United States, making it an ideal choice for people hoping to get out of work on Friday, but not such a great idea for the citizenry as a whole.
The decision to run crazy through the streets, vaccinating everyone who has a forearm, screaming bloody murder about impending biological warfare and the destruction of society as we know it came on the heels of an announcement on Wednesday, December 11, 2002, when the Associated Press published a survey that found six in ten Americans were "worried" about smallpox and that two out of three people would opt to get vaccinated if given the opportunity.
The Associated Press pointed out, however, that the question about getting the smallpox vaccine was asked after several questions regarding threats of bioterror against the United States, so it's possible that "people being surveyed may have been thinking more about the threats than about the risks of the vaccine." The AP also admitted that people weren't adequately informed about the vaccine's risks (including the part about how you might die if you get it). So an informed reader might not take that "two out of three" figure totally to heart, because studies have consistently shown that a decent number of people tend to avoid things that are both unnecessary and have a tendency to kill them when left to their own devices.
Personally, I don't understand what the fuss is all about. When Saddam Hussein attacks us with his massive army of Giant Killer Robots (complete with US-manufactured Laser Rifles), we're all going to feel pretty darn silly for worrying about flu shots. Or anthrax vaccinations. Or whatever the hell this writeup was about...I forget. Anyway, if I were you, I'd invest your money in laser-proof armor and invisibility cloaks rather than some dumb injection. (But that’s just one man’s opinion.)
Sources:
1. Laura Meckler, "Poll: Two Out of Three Want Vaccine." The Associated Press (12 Dec 2002).
2. Laura Meckler, "Smallpox Vaccine Offered to All." The Associated Press (12 Dec 2002).