Guest guest Posted December 27, 2001 Report Share Posted December 27, 2001 - <cherokee Thursday, December 27, 2001 9:56 AM [CIDSNetwork] Experimental Vaccinations Begin Today > Postal Worker Vaccinations to Begin Today > Some Brentwood Employees Wary of Experimental Precaution Against Anthrax > > By Justin Blum > Washington Post Staff Writer > Thursday, December 27, 2001; Page B02 > > U.S. Postal Service employees who worked at the Brentwood Road facility > will be offered anthrax > vaccinations beginning this morning, as well as additional antibiotics > to prevent anthrax, according to > postal and federal health officials. > > Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they > were unsure how many of > the 2,100 Brentwood employees were interested in the experimental > vaccination and the additional > supply of drugs to prevent them from developing anthrax. > > Yesterday, a number of postal employees who had been to presentations by > the CDC said they > considered the vaccination unproven and risky. Some said they would > consider taking an additional > 40 days of antibiotics, but others said they would decline that, too, > citing serious side effects from > their initial 60-day course of antibiotics. > > " I'll take my chances, " said Reginald Thomas, 43, a postal maintenance > worker. " It's like you're > being used -- like we're laboratory rats. . . . I think they want to see > how the vaccine is going to > work on you. " > > Federal health officials have recommended the additional 40 days of > antibiotics or a combination of > antibiotics and the vaccine for Brentwood workers because of the risk > they might face. Two > Brentwood employees died and two others became ill with inhalation > anthrax after letters > contaminated with anthrax spores were processed in the Northeast > Washington facility, which > handled all incoming and outgoing mail for the city before it was > shuttered Oct. 21. > > Health officials have said more medication might be needed because > anthrax spores could survive > longer in the lungs than had been previously thought and could sicken > people after the initial antibiotic > regimen ends. > > Federal officials have said there is not enough scientific evidence to > support a recommendation for > the vaccine and antibiotic combination vs. only the antibiotic. The D.C. > Department of Health has > recommended against the vaccine, citing a lack of scientific evidence. > > Those who choose the vaccine must sign a medical release and receive no > assurances of the > vaccination's effectiveness. They also receive no promise of financial > or medical assistance if the > vaccine causes illness. > > There is no indication that the vaccine is effective in preventing > infection after exposure, health > officials have said. At best, the vaccine is assumed to help only for > several months, they said. > > According to a Postal Service spokeswoman, all Brentwood workers are > being required to attend > group sessions with representatives of the CDC, who explain the pros and > cons of the treatment > options. Beginning today, more than 350 postal workers who have attended > those briefings can go > to individual sessions with CDC doctors and then choose the vaccine > regimen or just antibiotics. > Additional group presentations and individual sessions will be given to > accommodate the remaining > workers. > > The vaccinations and antibiotics will be dispensed today and Saturday at > postal facilities in Northeast > Washington and in Hyattsville, the postal spokeswoman said. On Friday > and Sunday, they will be > provided at postal offices in Capitol Heights and Gaithersburg. Most > employees from Brentwood > have been shifted to those four areas. > > Postal workers must decide by Jan. 7 whether they want to take the > vaccine, said CDC spokesman > Curtis Allen. > > A number of those who worked at Brentwood and who were at the V Street > Annex in Northeast > Washington yesterday said they did not know anyone who planned to take > the vaccine. " It hasn't > been tested and proven, " said William Matthews, 50, a letter carrier. > " They don't know what it's > going to do. . . . No one is saying to take it. It's at your own risk. " > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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