Smallpox vaccine?

Is anyone's SO planning on or being encouraged to take the smallpox vaccine? This is really freaking me out. Since DH is an Emergency Medicine attending at a Level One trauma center, they are encouraging them to get this. They wanted Don to volunteer to have his done yesterday, but since the weather was yucky, he didn't drive in. I am so glad. He brought home all this literature with pictures and precautions. It is a live vrus and the spot has to be covered with gauze for a couple weeks. He has to be careful around our little girls, wash his clothes immeadiately, and could have several reactions ie. flulike symptoms, rash, or the smallpox virus itself.
If that was not bad enough, he gets this letter from the company that handles his group practice insurance department that states if the physicians opt to take the vaccine and become sick, disabled, or die, they will not cover them financially 8O 8O . What the hell is up with that??? I am not sure if I can convince him not to take it. Did our parents go through all that crap when we were given these as children? Or were they simply not told? Any thoughts out there?

Trisha

[PrincessFiona]

smallpox

Trisha, this debate has raged on for awhile now in MN and the opinion from my DH (infectious Disease specialist) is to NOT get the vaccine. He says it is the dirties vaccine that we have and that the risks outweight the potential benefits at this time. IF there is a case of smallpox reported then he would say to go ahead and vaccinate...but he refused the vaccine as did his ID partner.....and all of our internists.

Most of this is more...hysteria generation by the media at this point. An interesting addition to this was an article from one of his ID journals that poked fun at the hysteria citing a rather frightening list of 'bugs' that could be used (and are more likely) that we can't do much about...and should be more concerned of. 8O

Kris

[Rapunzel]

Well, well, well, your husband's hospital is giving their physicians the option of a small pox vax (encouraging it even) and then denying benefits if something goes wrong. The employer (the hospital) made a CHOICE to include the small pox vax exemption in their policy when they renewed it this year. My mom ( a nurse working for Aetna) deals with this all the time. In this case the issue is that the hospital is the one to point the finger at because the admins don't want to pony up any extra premuims for a vax that they obviously don't completely trust yet are encouraging their employees to get. I'd say get the vax when the hospital trusts it enough to pay the premiums to the insurance company for the possible consequences of the vax. Love those cost-conscious hospital administrators who are so concerned about the well-being of their physicians.

[DCJenn]

Well, some of us really don't get the option! My husband was offered the vaccine but declined at this point. Soon though, he and all of the other military guys will be getting it. Right now they're only insisting on those who have been activated getting it- for everyone else it's still optional.

Jenn

[Meenah]

I was offered it, since I work in the ER. The hospital held quite a few information meetings, advising ous of all they know about it. I declined at this point.
Luanne