Only 181
volunteer for
smallpox vaccineThe state reassesses its planned
response to a bioterror attack
Only 181 Hawaii health care workers have been inoculated against smallpox, falling well short of the 3,000 volunteers that the state originally estimated were needed to form first-response teams in case of a bioterror attack.
But state officials say they are comfortable with the smaller number of volunteers.
"The number we have is sufficient should an outbreak occur on any of the islands," said Department of Health spokeswoman Janice Okubo. "We have enough people to man the response teams to be prepared for a smallpox outbreak."
Okubo said the 3,000 was an estimate the Health Department had to "put together quickly."
In February the department said a team of 45 people per hospital was recommended to respond to a case of suspected smallpox.
Between 20 to 50 per hospital had volunteered initially, along with public health workers.
But Okubo said many of the volunteers may have been turned away after being screened for health risks or may have opted not to get vaccinated after receiving information on the high-risk vaccination.
In February the state received 4,500 smallpox vaccine doses -- 1,500 extra doses were sent in case of an accident -- from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and began vaccinating workers on Oahu in March.
The move came after President Bush, citing the threat of bioterrorism and a war with Iraq, ordered the vaccinations in December for 500,000 military personnel and recommended it for 500,000 hospital emergency room workers.
But one in every 1,000 smallpox inoculations leads to an adverse reaction that requires medical treatment, according to Department of Health physician Lisa Hendrickson. No adverse reactions were recorded, she said.
Hendrickson also said that 181 inoculated health care volunteers are sufficient to investigate any possible smallpox case and to administer vaccinations to the public if needed.
But she was not sure whether each hospital has enough staff to handle a smallpox case in its emergency room. If a case arose requiring hospitalization, the patient would be sent to a hospital with enough personnel to provide adequate service, she said.
Hendrickson emphasized the program is voluntary and that several factors may have contributed to the low turnout.
"(The war in) Iraq has now wound down, so that's another reason people are disinterested in being vaccinated," Hendrickson said.
"Any publicity or adverse event scares people away, too."
She also cited the government's slowness to address worker's compensation concerns for people who have an adverse reaction to the vaccine.
Hendrickson added that the threat of bioterrorism has not dropped and is "still foremost in our minds."
The Health Department is moving ahead with its program.
It is preparing to inoculate volunteer first-responders, including police, fire and emergency medical service personnel, in August at the earliest, though no date has been set.
State Health Department