Just a month after federal health officials said smallpox
vaccines would be available to some 15,000 health and law
enforcement employees, they now plan to increase that number to
500,000. This is in response to hospitals saying that a more
widespread vaccination of their workers is needed as they're the
first to respond to a situation should it arise. "I support
their reasons to increase the number of vaccinations, however,
right now, I don't know the potentials risks of the vaccines so
the fact that more health care workers could be offered the
vaccine is a good thing, but I think anyone who gets a vaccine
should be educated and know what their risks are," Dr. Janet
Eng, Emergency Room Physician. Right now, smallpox vaccines are
only given to some military personnel and scientists who handle
the virus, but federal health officials wanted that to be
reconsidered after Sept. 11 and the threat of biological
warfare. But still, the debate continues if the vaccination
should be given nationwide. "It's not a ques