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Smallpox Vaccinations Underway in Connecticut
Aired January 24, 2003 - 13:42 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: In the effort to shield this country from weapons of mass destruction today, the first vaccinations for smallpox in the name of national security.
CNN's Elizabeth Cohen standing by in Farmington, Connecticut, where the story's unfolding. And, of course, Elizabeth, everybody's wanting to know if you're going to get the shot.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Exactly. Everyone wants a shot of the shot, Kyra. The reason why is this is, indeed, a historic moment here in Farmington, Connecticut. For the first time in 30 years, the government is giving people smallpox vaccinations in a public vaccination program. The reason why is that for the first time in 30 years, there is, the government says, the threat that Saddam Hussein or someone else might use smallpox as a bioweapon.
They've vaccinated about three or four people already, and they're prepared to vaccinate a few more today. Within the next couple of weeks, the state of Connecticut hopes to vaccinate between 2,000 and 6,000 doctors, nurses, and other health care workers.
Now, this has been a very controversial program. It took a long time for President Bush to decide to put this into motion. The reason is this is a dangerous vaccine. For every million people that get it, one will die, another 60 could get horrible illnesses.
Let's take a look right now. There are folks who are getting shots. The people who have been getting shots so far have been -- have worked for the state of Connecticut. For example, the first person to get a shot was Dr. James Hadler (ph). He is the state of Connecticut's epidemiologist for the Connecticut Department of Health.
Now, as you can see. This is not your usual shot. In fact, they have to do 15 punctures. It's not the kind of shot that most people are used to seeing. And then what they do -- you'll see that the gauze they're about to put on -- and then afterwards the bandage, is again not the kind of bandage that people are used to seeing. They have to cover it up very effectively. The reason why is that if someone else were to come in contact with this vaccination site, they could become ill. So they have to cover it up with -- you'll see it right now. She's about to unwrap it. This is a doctor who has been giving out these vaccinations.
That is not your basic band-aid. I guess that is the way to say it. And for example, people who live, for example, if this gentleman's wife were pregnant, he would be advised not to get the vaccine because she could become ill from his vaccine site. Now, Connecticut is the first state. Other states are soon to follow. L.A. County says they'll begin vaccinations next week.
Now, all of these folks who are getting vaccinations, like this gentleman here, they're undertaking a certain risk. They're volunteering to take a certain risk. Again, for every million people who get this, one will die, another 60 will get serious or life threatening illnesses. The doctors and nurses who we've been speaking to say, you know, we think that that's part of our job. We think it's our duty as a doctor or a nurse to do this, because if there were a smallpox attack, it could be devastating. It is a contagious disease, many people could become ill, and you are looking -- or you just looked at the doctors and the nurses who would be treating the people who could become ill.
Now, other doctors and nurses have said, I don't want this shot, I don't want to put myself at risk. I don't want to put my loved ones at risk. And in fact, entire hospitals have said, we refuse to vaccinate our employees -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. Our Elizabeth Cohen live there. The shots going down. Thank you so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired January 24, 2003 - 13:42 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: In the effort to shield this country from weapons of mass destruction today, the first vaccinations for smallpox in the name of national security.
CNN's Elizabeth Cohen standing by in Farmington, Connecticut, where the story's unfolding. And, of course, Elizabeth, everybody's wanting to know if you're going to get the shot.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Exactly. Everyone wants a shot of the shot, Kyra. The reason why is this is, indeed, a historic moment here in Farmington, Connecticut. For the first time in 30 years, the government is giving people smallpox vaccinations in a public vaccination program. The reason why is that for the first time in 30 years, there is, the government says, the threat that Saddam Hussein or someone else might use smallpox as a bioweapon.
They've vaccinated about three or four people already, and they're prepared to vaccinate a few more today. Within the next couple of weeks, the state of Connecticut hopes to vaccinate between 2,000 and 6,000 doctors, nurses, and other health care workers.
Now, this has been a very controversial program. It took a long time for President Bush to decide to put this into motion. The reason is this is a dangerous vaccine. For every million people that get it, one will die, another 60 could get horrible illnesses.
Let's take a look right now. There are folks who are getting shots. The people who have been getting shots so far have been -- have worked for the state of Connecticut. For example, the first person to get a shot was Dr. James Hadler (ph). He is the state of Connecticut's epidemiologist for the Connecticut Department of Health.
Now, as you can see. This is not your usual shot. In fact, they have to do 15 punctures. It's not the kind of shot that most people are used to seeing. And then what they do -- you'll see that the gauze they're about to put on -- and then afterwards the bandage, is again not the kind of bandage that people are used to seeing. They have to cover it up very effectively. The reason why is that if someone else were to come in contact with this vaccination site, they could become ill. So they have to cover it up with -- you'll see it right now. She's about to unwrap it. This is a doctor who has been giving out these vaccinations.
That is not your basic band-aid. I guess that is the way to say it. And for example, people who live, for example, if this gentleman's wife were pregnant, he would be advised not to get the vaccine because she could become ill from his vaccine site. Now, Connecticut is the first state. Other states are soon to follow. L.A. County says they'll begin vaccinations next week.
Now, all of these folks who are getting vaccinations, like this gentleman here, they're undertaking a certain risk. They're volunteering to take a certain risk. Again, for every million people who get this, one will die, another 60 will get serious or life threatening illnesses. The doctors and nurses who we've been speaking to say, you know, we think that that's part of our job. We think it's our duty as a doctor or a nurse to do this, because if there were a smallpox attack, it could be devastating. It is a contagious disease, many people could become ill, and you are looking -- or you just looked at the doctors and the nurses who would be treating the people who could become ill.
Now, other doctors and nurses have said, I don't want this shot, I don't want to put myself at risk. I don't want to put my loved ones at risk. And in fact, entire hospitals have said, we refuse to vaccinate our employees -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. Our Elizabeth Cohen live there. The shots going down. Thank you so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
