|
(SALT LAKE CITY,
January 22, 2003) - The Utah Department of Health (UDOH), in conjunction
with Utah's 12 local health departments, have received approval of
the Smallpox Pre-event Plan from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC). The plan's acceptance allows Utah to proceed in
delivering vaccinations in mid-February.
The Pre-event
Plan outlines vaccination procedures to be used throughout Utah for
public health care teams and participating hospital smallpox medical
care response teams. The UDOH has requested 3,000 doses of the Smallpox
vaccine from the CDC. The United States currently has sufficient quantities
of the vaccine to vaccinate every single person in the country in
an emergency. The cost of administration for the vaccine delivery
will be shouldered by Utah's health departments paid for from the
CDC Bioterrorism Grant funding awarded in July 2002.
These teams will
vary in size by hospital and public health department. Personnel will
be vaccinated on a voluntary basis and be screened through an in-depth
health history to assure that each volunteer is an appropriate candidate
for the vaccine. Teams will consist of doctors, nurses, and other
essential medical care hospital and public health personnel needed
to provide care, case investigation and prevention. Smallpox vaccination
before a confirmed smallpox case or outbreak provides response teams
and other first responder personal protection from the smallpox disease.
It thus enables them to rapidly take the actions needed to protect
the public, which includes caring for patients with smallpox, and
controlling spread of the outbreak, including establishing public
vaccination clinics if needed.
We anticipate
that vaccinations in Utah will be delivered in three phases. At this
time, only Phase one has been planned and approved by CDC. Each phase
can only begin upon declaration by the Secretary of Health and Human
Services:
- Phase
one will include vaccination for hospital teams vital to
providing care to possibly infected persons with smallpox virus
(team members will be determined by the participating hospital),
and public health response teams that will act to interrupt spread
of the disease. Delivery may begin in mid-February where vaccinators
will be vaccinated. Delivery of vaccine to health care providers
may begin in March.
- Phase
two will include the vaccination of identified first responder
teams (i.e., emergency medical technicians, firefighters, law enforcement,
additional administrative assistants, additional healthcare providers,
etc.). Delivery may begin in late 2003.
- Phase
three will make available vaccinations for the general public
in the event they are needed. UDOH is not advising the general public
to receive smallpox vaccinations at this time. Timing of delivery
will be based upon a national recommendation or a credible case
of smallpox identified in the United States.
Some volunteers
may not be able to receive the vaccine. Those that cannot receive
the vaccine include people with any of the following conditions:
- Immune suppression
(in the person to be vaccinated or a close contact)
- Pregnancy
(in the person to be vaccinated or a close contact)
- Eczema or
atopic dermatitis (current or past) (in the person to be vaccinated
or a close contact)
- Acute, chronic
or exfoliative skin conditions (until improved or resolved).
- Serious allergic
reaction to a prior dose of vaccine or vaccine component.
- Breastfeeding
- Infants or
children (under 18 years of age)
- Treatment
with ophthalmic (eye) steroids (until the treatment course is completed)
- Moderate or
severe acute illness (until resolved).
No naturally
occurring cases of smallpox have been diagnosed in the world since
1977 in Somalia. The probability of an intentional release of the
smallpox virus is thought to be low, but since the consequences of
an outbreak would be great, we must be prepared. For more information,
visit: www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/index.asp,
www.hhs.gov/smallpox/index.html
or www.health.utah.gov or
contact your state or local health department.
Back
to Smallpox Plan Page
|
