Smallpox

By Richard Knox

Published December 23, 2002 at 12:00 AM EST

Doctors and public health officials say they're worried about the Bush Administration's plan to give smallpox vaccinations to as many as 11 million people over the next few months. That's because millions of Americans have medical problems meaning they could be hurt -- not only by the vaccine, but by exposure to a person who'd recently been vaccinated. Public health experts say it would be wiser to vaccinate a small number of people, and then assess the results before proceeding. NPR's Richard Knox reports.

Richard Knox

Since he joined NPR in 2000, Knox has covered a broad range of issues and events in public health, medicine, and science. His reports can be heard on NPR's Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, Talk of the Nation, and newscasts.

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