DOD expands anthrax, smallpox vaccination programs

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WASHINGTON (AFPN) --  Department of Defense is expanding its anthrax and smallpox immunization programs following an evaluation conducted by the Military Health System. Air Force officials released service-specific guidance recently.

Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr., assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, announced that the anthrax and smallpox vaccination programs would include selected units within U.S. Pacific Command, people in U.S. Central Command and other selected groups.

“The decision to protect additional personnel with these vaccines reflects our concern for their health and safety, as well as the continuity of essential operations,” Dr. Winkenwerder said.

“When we began these vaccination programs, we stated that we would periodically review them, evaluating the threats to our forces and vaccine availability,” he said. “We recently completed such an evaluation and determined that the threat continues. In light of our successful implementation of these programs and the increased quantities of vaccine, we will include additional forces in the vaccination programs.”

Before the anthrax vaccination program slowdown in 2000 and 2001, caused by an unexpected shortage of anthrax vaccine, servicemembers assigned to certain areas in the U.S. Pacific Command were included in the program. The resumption of the program in 2002, however, focused on the U.S. Central Command.

The expansion of the program announced by Dr. Winkenwerder resumes the anthrax vaccination program and begins the smallpox vaccination program in selected U.S. Pacific Command areas. It also expands the anthrax vaccination program within the U.S. Central Command.

Vaccination offers a necessary extra layer of protection -- besides antibiotics and other measures -- for servicemembers, emergency-essential civilians and contractors who carry out mission-essential services, DOD officials said.

The program update will continue to include people assigned in or deployed to designated higher-threat areas for 15 or more consecutive days. Officials will offer the vaccinations to family members in the geographic areas on a voluntary basis. They will also pursue vaccination, subject to appropriate people and contractor procedures, of emergency-essential civilian employees and comparable contractors in the specific geographic areas.

Currently, only people deemed to be at higher risk in specified units and/or geographic areas will receive the vaccines. Officials did not rule out vaccination of the total force at a future date.

Air Force immunizations under the policy update will begin as soon as units schedule vaccinations. For more information, visit the Commanders’ C-CBRNE Resource secure Web site at https://www.xo.hq.af.mil/xos/xosf/xosfc/CCBRNE_resource/index.shtml.