Survey on Smallpox vaccine

Nurses General Nursing

Published

  1. Smallpox Vaccine Survey

    • 45
      I have had the vaccine in the past and will get it again if needed.
    • 20
      I have had the vaccine in the past and will not get it again.
    • 31
      I never had the vaccine but will get it if needed.
    • 15
      I never had the vaccine and will not get it.

111 members have participated

I received one when I was six and again when I was 18 in order to enter nursing school. They had a plastic shield with air holes to put over the lesion. It looked like the blister packaging you see today.

My children both received it when they were five. (son b. '70, dtr. b.'68)

I have given hundreds and hundreds of them and the reactions varied from none to raging fever and pain. One poor kid had acne really bad and in scratching he spread the vaccinia to several places on his neck and shoulders. I never heard of any of our patients dying.

Like some of the other posters on this board my mind keeps wondering how in the heck our government knows they have the virus, but they knew nothing about the attacks of Sept. 2001???? Needless to say, I have been having a lot of trouble of believing half of what they are saying and even less of their action.

I was vaccinated as a child and when I attempted to have my oldest son vaccinated in 1974 I was told by the Memphis-Shelby County Board of Health, "If you aren't leaving the country then you can't get the vaccine." Now they are getting their panties in a bundle to get the public vaccinated! Why in the world did we ever stop? Yes I know there was suppose to be only 2 holds of Smallpox, but Duh! Surprise! Guess the Feds were wrong, again.

Specializes in Corrections, Psych, Med-Surg.

Noticed in the paper today that Tommy Thompson, the honcho of Health and Human Services, has said that he would NOT get this vaccine and that he recommends to the other cabinet members that they do NOT get it either.

Does anyone feel that medical personel have an obligation to get vaccinated against smallpox so that there will be immune nurses and doctors to care for anyone affected if an outbreak occurs?

Specializes in Critical Care,Recovery, ED.

A few posters have asked for proof that small pox is in the hand s of bad guys who are willing to use it. No one knows for sure however, there were two stocks of live smallpox virus. The first was in the CDC in Atlanta, all accounted for. The second was in Moscow during the USSR government. When inspectors went to check the couldn't account for it. Russia said it was moved but couldn't find/account for all the stocks of smallpox. Who has them? Anyone's guess thus the debate.

Specializes in ER.

I would assume that since I didn't have a poor reaction to the vaccine the first time I had it that my chances of reacting poorly now are less than average. I don't feel an urgent need to get one but would if asked to be part of a "first response" team. I guess I'll be the one to go first.

Specializes in CVOR,CNOR,NEURO,TRAUMA,TRANSPLANTS.

I have had it and will take it again , That does show my age now doesnt it. I can say with a smile Im close to the era when they stopped giving it lol. Not that it helps my age any.

Im getting used to shots and feeling like crap afterwards. Before each posting to some off the wall country, I get the battery of injections. Being from the states Im dainty, and my immune system well isnt exposed to all this crud the rest of the world has, so when we get posted out to these festuring puss pockets of the world I have to get every shot known to man and the region. After getting the notification that we were going to South Africa, I thought I would die from side effect. I had so many shots my entire body hurt for a month, no kidding. Now that the smallpox vaccine is out , we were informed that we too would be getting this shot. Why cant I show them my potmark on my arm?

I hate that we even have to consider this as a possible threat of a terrorist attack but its true, I have seen some of the worst sights in my life , and the highest were on humanity itself, Yes I will get my shot and pray. Pray for humanity to find itself.

Just a thought

Zoe

I'm with Heather. I'm not getting it unless I absolutely have to get it.

A person infected with smallpox could walk through a busy mall and spread the disease to hundreds, who would then go home and spread the disease to hundreds more. Once discovered, widespread panic would occur as frantic parents/people would scramble for the vaccine. At that point, many who now refuse to consider vaccination would rethink the odds of harm from the shot. Rather than put myself and my family in that position, I do plan on vaccinating against smallpox. We all know now that terrorism is real in this country and I feel it's just a matter of time before another strike of some sort hits us here. I will sleep better at night knowing I have done everything possible to protect my kids.

Interesting thread- a conversation many of us have had several times now. I actually have a question- I understand that the vacinne given is of a weakend lived virus. And that it can be shed- and therfore makes those who get the it contangious. I'm asking as a younger healthcare worker, who never got the vacinne as a child- with small children who have never had the vacinne. I also understand that this vacinne could possibly be available to us (healthcare workers) sooner than the general public. If anyone can enlighten me- please let me know. Thanks.

Specializes in Float Pool, ICU/CCU, Med/Surg, Onc, Tele.

So how about this? The first people to get it be military healthcare workers. Not that I'm anti-military at all, just saying the gummint vaccinates the military people alot already, and if the military healthcare workers were vaccinated they could come to any area hit with an outbreak and take over until the locals could get vaccinated. Being military, these people are at the mercy of the gummint with regard to what shots they get and where they get sent anyway.

Just a thought. What do you think about it?

Specializes in Corrections, Psych, Med-Surg.

Weasel--that is the reason Bush got vaccinated. He said, rightly, that as Commander in Chief, it would not be good leadership to not do himself what he was ordering his troops to do. However, his family and cabinet members are NOT getting the vaccine.

I'm not running to my nearest Vaccinator to get it, but if need be, I'll get it again. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

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