Nurse’s organizations were against smallpox vaccination in December 2002. Not only could it be a health risk to the person vaccinated patients could become infected.
The MNA has not been alone in its opposition to the plan. Shortly after the MNA announced its position, similar positions were announced by the Maine State Nurses Association, Rhode Island State Nurses Association, California Nurses Association, Texas Nurses Association and the American Nurses Association. More than 350 hospitals nationwide have decided to opt out of the plan because of safety, compensation and liability concerns and hundreds more are undecided.
http://www.massnurses.org/news/2003/...e/smallpox.htm
December, 2002.
The California Nurses Association on Thursday urged hospitals in that state not to participate in the program, saying there was no proof a smallpox attack is likely.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/...in541421.shtml
... As of the beginning of February, California had only immunized 432 workers. The reason for the low number is that many health care workers did not volunteer. In fact, there were organized campaigns by large labor unions – such as the California Nurses Association and Service Employees International Union – to discourage their members from getting the vaccination. The main reason for their resistance was, and continues to be, the fact that the federal government has not created a fund to compensate workers who might become ill or miss work due to problems associated with the vaccine.
Response: early March 2003 the Bush Administration announced a compensation fund proposal. Before the plan goes into effect it must be approved by Congress. According to an Associated Press article, the proposal is similar to a compensation package that is currently offered to police officers and firefighters who are injured on the job. Specifically, it would enable the government to pay $262,100 for each person who dies or is permanently and totally disabled by the smallpox vaccine and persons who are less severely injured could receive up to $50,000 plus medical expenses….
http://www.healthpolicymonitor.org/e...51&language=en
http://www.sfbayview.com/012903/smallpox012903.shtml