Far Fewer Than Expected Getting Smallpox Vaccinations

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By By Brian Calvert

Summary

Only 30,000 have actually received the shots out of the expected 500,000 health care workers.

Story Published: May 13, 2003 at 10:34 AM PDT

Story Updated: Aug 31, 2006 at 1:02 AM PDT

Far Fewer Than Expected Getting Smallpox Vaccinations
SEATTLE - Just a few months ago, smallpox vaccinations were targeted at 500,000 health care workers. But less than 30,000 have actually received the shots.

The news comes out of the nation's capital, where health care workers aren't volunteering for the vaccine as they once were.

The same thing is happening here in Washington state, where the question is: "is it needed?"

John Erikson with the State Health Department says complications and the end of war have slowed the progress.

"We thought we would get maybe somewhere in the range of 5,000 to 7,000 volunteers," he said.

But to date, only 500 have been vaccinated statewide.

Erikson says on the brighter side, this is a lot more than just vaccinations.

"It's the communications, it's the training, it's the planning," he said.

And he says that part of the program is proven, and ready in the event smallpox is ever detected.