HEALTH REPORT - Debate About Smallpox Vaccine

HEALTH REPORT - October 16, 2002: Debate About Smallpox¹ Vaccine²

By Nancy Steinbach

This is the VOA Special English Health Report.

American medical groups are urging the government to limit the use of the vaccine medicine to prevent the
disease smallpox. Smallpox is caused by the variola virus. It spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Smallpox can damage the brain and other body organs. Smallpox kills about thirty percent of
the people who get it. There is no treatment. The vaccine ended the threat of smallpox around
the world in nineteen-seventy-seven. But now, American officials fear that terrorists³ may have
the virus and could use it in a biological attack.

The Bush administration’s top bioterrorism advisors⁴ have developed a plan to protect the

American people. They would begin by giving the vaccine to five-hundred-thousand health
care workers and ten-million emergency workers. The plan would also provide the vaccine to all Americans in
two years. The experts say each person would decide if he or she wants the vaccine.

The smallpox vaccine can be dangerous. It can even kill. The vaccine is a live virus that is related to the one that
causes smallpox. The vaccine can spread throughout a person’s body and cause infection. Records from the
nineteen-sixties show that one or two people died for every one-million people who received the vaccine. Nine
other people suffered brain infections and more than one-hundred people developed severe skin infections.
Hundreds of other people developed other health problems.

Medical professionals expect that even more people would suffer such reactions today. This is because many
more people have weakened body defense⁵ systems against disease. These include cancer patients who have been
treated with chemotherapy drugs, people who are infected with the AIDS virus and people with skin diseases like
eczema. Doctors also say the current smallpox vaccine has not been tested on children and may not be safe for
them.

The smallpox vaccine is effective against the disease four days after it is given. Doctors say that everyone should
get the vaccine if smallpox was used in a biological attack. But many experts say it is too dangerous to give to the
general public unless that happens.

This VOA Special English Health Report was written by Nancy Steinbach.

Email this article to a friend
Printer Friendly Version

1 smallpox   

n.天花

参考例句：

• In 1742 he suffered a fatal attack of smallpox.1742年，他染上了致命的天花。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child?你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

2 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

3 terrorists   

n.恐怖主义者，恐怖分子( terrorist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The terrorists have halted their bloody campaign of violence. 恐怖分子已经停止了他们凶残的暴力活动。
• They were finally forced to capitulate to the terrorists' demands. 他们最后被迫屈从恐怖分子的要求。

4 advisors   

n.顾问，劝告者( advisor的名词复数 )；（指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• The governors felt that they were being strung along by their advisors. 地方长官感到他们一直在受顾问们的愚弄。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• We will consult together with advisors about her education. 我们将一起和专家商议她的教育事宜。 来自互联网

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。