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Immunizations

Description

An in-depth report on the purpose of immunizations and recommended schedules.


Alternative Names

Measles; Rubella; Tetanus; Vaccinations; Whooping cough


Smallpox

Vaccination against smallpox used to be routine in the US until 1972, and most older Americans bear the telltale small round smallpox vaccination scar on their upper arms. Immunity may last 10 years or longer. The last case of smallpox, a highly contagious and deadly disease caused by the variola virus, occurred in a laboratory worker in the UK in 1978.

However, the growing threat of bioterrorism has raised fears that smallpox could be used as a biological weapon, and in 2002 the US government issued plans for vaccinating every citizen against the disease in the event of an outbreak. The vaccination, however, carries some risks. Currently, then, vaccination continues to be recommended only for laboratory workers and scientists who work with the virus.

If an outbreak occurs, guidelines from the CDC call for a so-called "ring vaccination" approach. This involves identifying anyone who comes into contact with an infected person and vaccinating them and their contacts with a single dose of vaccine. This includes people of all ages and even those at risk for vaccine complications. The vaccine may work even if given within the first few days of infection.

Who Should Be Vaccinated for Smallpox?

Those at increased risk of vaccine complications but who should still be immunized if they are actually exposed to an outbreak include the following:


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