A more likely first step, some officials believe, would be to slow the rate of inoculations to conserve supplies. About 4,500 doses are now administered daily. The Pentagon has about 190,000 doses available for use, meaning that at the current rate of inoculations it would run out in 42 days unless more supplies are made available or Cohen orders a slowdown in inoculations. Current supplies of the vaccine come from stockpiles produced by a small laboratory attached to the University of Michigan, which manufactured only small quantities of vaccine each year. So far, about 19 percent of the 2.4 million Defense Department employees have been given at least one of the series of anthrax vaccine shots that must be administered to achieve full protection against the disease.
Anthrax typically afflicts animals, especially sheep and cattle.
Dry anthrax spores, which can be put into weapons, can be fatal to humans when inhaled. The Pentagon began the vaccination program in response to a growing concern in the Clinton administration that North Korea, Iraq or other nations hostile to the United States might launch an anthrax attack on U.S. forces. Several House members have urged Cohen to stop the vaccinations until the Pentagon finds an improved vaccine, and some soldiers have refused vaccinations. Copyright material is distributed without profit or payment for research and educational purposes only, in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107. Copyright material is distributed without profit or payment for research and educational purposes only, in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107.