WEBCAST TRANSCRIPT

Transcript of "Overview of Smallpox Preparedness and Response"\
Presented by Dr. Julie Gerberding, 5 December 2002, on the satellite
broadcast of "CDC Bioterrorism Update: Smallpox Preparedness"

(No graphics associated with this video.)

Julie Louise Gerberding, MD, MPH, Director, Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention

# GERBERDING:

Welcome. Thank you for taking the time to participate in this broadcast.
Over the next two days, CDC will provide information that we hope will
assist you in preparing for the threat of smallpox. Our goal is to
present information of use to all the stakeholders involved in planning
and implementing clinics for vaccinating smallpox response teams. I
thank the CDC team, and our colleagues at HHS and other federal agencies
who have contributed. I also thank the Advisory Committee for
Immunization Practices for its guidance in reviewing the evidence and
providing recommendations. Most importantly, I respect and appreciate
the input, expertise, and support contributed by our partners in state
and local health agencies across the country.

The consequences of an intentional release of smallpox virus could be
devastating - so we must be prepared to conduct an immediate response to
an attack. Although we cannot predict the likelihood of such an event,
we believe smallpox release is possible. We can prepare by offering
vaccine to those most likely to respond to the initial phases of the
event and care for the initial cases. By preparing these public health
and healthcare response teams, we can initiate the steps needed to
protect the American people - who are our highest priority.

Making vaccine available - on a voluntary basis - to the people who
would be the first to investigate, respond to and provide medical
treatment to the first patients with smallpox, is one way to strengthen
our preparedness. We need to begin planning for the protection of the
medical and public health personnel whose duties as response team
members would place them at high risk in a smallpox outbreak. By
preparing them, we are better able to protect the American people.

CDC is working with state and local health departments and hospitals to
develop plans to accomplish this. Health departments in turn are working
with hospitals to identify the members of healthcare response teams. The
total number of team members to be vaccinated will depend on how the
teams are structured. \"500,000\" has been cited as approximate estimate
of the maximum number of people that might be included in these teams,
but the actual number could be much lower or even somewhat higher. Each
state will work with local experts to determine the best solution for
its jurisdiction.

A key point to remember is that all smallpox vaccinations will be
voluntary - no one will be required to receive this vaccine.

Vaccine safety is a top priority - one of our goals will be to minimize
the number of serious reactions. We have developed guidelines to
identify those who should not receive vaccine. As you will hear, these
guidelines emphasize screening for conditions that increase the risk of
an adverse reaction, measures to prevent spread to others, and
monitoring for vaccine safety. We intend to do everything we can to
minimize the risk of serious reactions, even though we know we cannot
eliminate the risk.

Preparedness is the ongoing process of increasing our capacity to
detect, respond, remediate, and mitigate against acts of terror. In the
past year, we have taken enormous strides in preparedness for a smallpox
attack. Ensuring that smallpox response teams are ready to act will
enhance our nation\'s ability to respond swiftly and effectively to a
terrorism attack.

CDC is developing many resource materials for health departments,
clinicians, and other groups that have a stake in smallpox preparedness
and treatment of smallpox cases. This broadcast is just one of those
resources. The program includes a series of modules that target public
health and clinical personnel. State and local public health personnel
will need information to guide their planning for establishing public
health and healthcare response teams, and establishing systems for
smallpox vaccination delivery, administration, and follow-up. In
addition detailed information will be provided for vaccine clinic
personnel and clinicians who may evaluate and treat adverse events. We
will also provide information to hospital administrators and
hospital-based clinicians to help with decisions about program
participation and vaccination side effects. For front line clinicians,
information addressing evaluation of patients with rashes or suspected
smallpox, screening of potential vaccinees who may seek advice, and
management and referral of adverse reactions following vaccination will
be included.

Today we face a simple truth\....we must plan for what once seemed
unthinkable, - the possibility of a smallpox attack. We need to take
steps to ensure we are doing all we can to protect those personnel who
would investigate and provide care for the first people with smallpox.
Your participation in these planning efforts is critical. We hope this
broadcast can provide you with additional tools to develop your state
and local plans.

Thank you so much for this important work.

END

For more information, visit
[www.cdc.gov/smallpox](http://www.cdc.gov/smallpox), or call the CDC
public response hotline\
at (888) 246-2675 (English), (888) 246-2857 (Español), or (866) 874-2646
(TTY)