SATURDAY, Feb. 8, 2003 (HealthDayNews) -- If you have questions or concerns about smallpox and the smallpox vaccine, there's a new Web site that can provide you with answers.
University of Florida experts have created the Web site to assist anyone who's concerned about smallpox bioterrorism to better understand and evaluate the risks posed by smallpox and the vaccine to protect against it.
Here's where you can find the smallpox Web site.
Currently, smallpox vaccinations in the United States are available only to medical workers, people in the military, and law enforcement officials. However, a voluntary program for the general public could be implemented in the United States in 2004.
The smallpox vaccine was once routinely given to children but hasn't been used in the United States since 1972. That's because measures to control the disease were so successful the vaccine was no longer necessary.
The Web site provides examples of the relative risks of smallpox, along with the risks associated with receiving the vaccine.
The odds of dying from a first-time smallpox vaccination are about one in 500,000. However, the risk is much greater for people with weakened immune systems. Those people should consult a doctor before making a decision about getting a smallpox vaccination.
More information
Here's where you can learn more about smallpox.
