Why Vaccinate? 
Safety of Vaccination
With the risk of bio-terror, smallpox is a threat to our military capabilities.
Vaccination is the only way to prevent contracting smallpox. It can reliably protect you for up to ten years.
Administering the vaccination now, before an outbreak, is the best way of protecting our troops.
Smallpox vaccine causes few problems when administered in carefully controlled and monitored situations.
In the past, about 1,000 people for every 1 million people vaccinated for the first time experienced reactions that, while not life-threatening, were serious. These reactions include a vigorous reaction at the site of the vaccination and spread of the vaccinia virus (the live virus in the smallpox vaccine) to other parts of the body and to other people. These reactions typically do not require medical attention.
Rarely, people have had very bad reactions to the vaccine. In the past, between 14 and 52 people per 1 million vaccinated experienced potentially life-threatening reactions.
Based on past experience, it is estimated that between 1 and 2 people out of every 1 million people vaccinated will die as a result of life-threatening reactions to the vaccine. Careful screening of potential vaccine recipients is essential to ensure that those at increased risk do not receive the vaccine.
Recent US military experience shows that careful screening and education lower the adverse event rate below the historical rates.
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