Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Saturday Morning News
United States Military Preparing for Possiblity of Smallpox Attack
Aired February 08, 2003 - 07:48 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: As the U.S. inches closer to a possible war with Iraq, the military is preparing for the grim realities of combat.
CNN medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is with American troops in Kuwait. He's joining us now with a look at what's being done to handle one major threat we've been hearing a lot about, and that is smallpox.
Hi Sanjay.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Heidi. Yes, 500,000 military personnel are going to get the vaccine. We've been hearing that for some time now. So we decided to travel to a place 15 kilometers from the Kuwaiti-Iraqi border to actually meet those soldiers who are getting the vaccine, as well as those doing the vaccinating.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAPT. MANCUSO, PREVENTATIVE MEDICAL DOCTOR: I'm assuming since we're the only units getting it that we're getting it for a good reason. And to me it makes good sense.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the soldiers understand that the threat is real, and that smallpox -- the vaccine protects them against that threat.
GUPTA (voice-over): The smallpox vaccine: a simple vial containing a live virus. As controversial in the desert of Kuwait as it is stateside.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the real concern is that in the military we may not be -- you know, their post exposure prophylactic is effective, as you know, but we may not have access to that in a timely fashion, depending on where we are in the world and what the situation is on the ground.
GUPTA: So the vaccinations have begun, and these are the front line soldiers who are getting them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People have been wrestling with this back home, civilianside (ph), a lot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It itches a lot. GUPTA: Two soldiers have already had potentially serious side effects. And it is likely that 30 out of the 500,000 military personnel getting vaccinated will get sick. But for now, the crew of this Blackhawk helicopter are optimistic and taking it in good stride.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course there is always that general concern of, oh, is my arm going to fall off? Or, you know, am I going to be bedridden? It hasn't been as bad as what we thought it is. Actually, it's really good.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GUPTA: And that really has been the general consensus for most of the soldiers out here. Not really as bad as they thought it was going to be. Incidentally, about 90 percent of the soldiers actually offered the vaccine are eligible -- about 10 -- they're getting this pamphlet as well. About 10 percent are exempted because of medical reasons. The two soldiers we mentioned in the piece as well, Heidi, they are recovering well -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right. Very good. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, we are going to check in with you a little bit later on, so stick around. Thanks so much.
GUPTA: All right. We'll be back -- thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Smallpox Attack>
Aired February 8, 2003 - 07:48 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: As the U.S. inches closer to a possible war with Iraq, the military is preparing for the grim realities of combat.
CNN medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is with American troops in Kuwait. He's joining us now with a look at what's being done to handle one major threat we've been hearing a lot about, and that is smallpox.
Hi Sanjay.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Heidi. Yes, 500,000 military personnel are going to get the vaccine. We've been hearing that for some time now. So we decided to travel to a place 15 kilometers from the Kuwaiti-Iraqi border to actually meet those soldiers who are getting the vaccine, as well as those doing the vaccinating.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAPT. MANCUSO, PREVENTATIVE MEDICAL DOCTOR: I'm assuming since we're the only units getting it that we're getting it for a good reason. And to me it makes good sense.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the soldiers understand that the threat is real, and that smallpox -- the vaccine protects them against that threat.
GUPTA (voice-over): The smallpox vaccine: a simple vial containing a live virus. As controversial in the desert of Kuwait as it is stateside.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the real concern is that in the military we may not be -- you know, their post exposure prophylactic is effective, as you know, but we may not have access to that in a timely fashion, depending on where we are in the world and what the situation is on the ground.
GUPTA: So the vaccinations have begun, and these are the front line soldiers who are getting them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People have been wrestling with this back home, civilianside (ph), a lot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It itches a lot. GUPTA: Two soldiers have already had potentially serious side effects. And it is likely that 30 out of the 500,000 military personnel getting vaccinated will get sick. But for now, the crew of this Blackhawk helicopter are optimistic and taking it in good stride.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course there is always that general concern of, oh, is my arm going to fall off? Or, you know, am I going to be bedridden? It hasn't been as bad as what we thought it is. Actually, it's really good.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GUPTA: And that really has been the general consensus for most of the soldiers out here. Not really as bad as they thought it was going to be. Incidentally, about 90 percent of the soldiers actually offered the vaccine are eligible -- about 10 -- they're getting this pamphlet as well. About 10 percent are exempted because of medical reasons. The two soldiers we mentioned in the piece as well, Heidi, they are recovering well -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right. Very good. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, we are going to check in with you a little bit later on, so stick around. Thanks so much.
GUPTA: All right. We'll be back -- thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Smallpox Attack>
