A technician at Walter Reed Army Medical Center immunizes a Soldier against smallpox in 2002 when the inoculation program began. The program has now expanded to require vaccinations for Soldiers going to 17 additional high threat countries. file photo
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Sept. 22, 2004) -- Anthrax vaccinations have resumed for Soldiers whose series of injections were interrupted during the anthrax vaccine shortages of 2000-2001.
The Army’s immunization program has also expanded to include both anthrax and smallpox vaccinations for Soldiers assigned to 17 newly designated high-threat areas.
Active-duty Soldiers and members of the Army Reserve and Guard who stopped getting vaccinated in the middle of their six-shot anthrax series have been directed to resume their vaccination schedules, at the point where they left off, no later than Dec. 31. The directive specifies that these Soldiers are not to repeat or receive extra doses of the vaccine -- all earlier vaccinations count.
The Army’s immunization program has expanded to require both anthrax and smallpox vaccinations for Soldiers assigned to the Korean Peninsula for 15 or more consecutive days. The directive also includes the vaccination of emergency-essential and equivalent civilian employees assigned to Korea and DoD contractor personnel hired to carry out mission-essential services in Korea.
The vaccination of adult military family members in Korea is voluntary. Vaccinations are also voluntary for most Army civilian employees and their families and non-essential contractor personnel assigned to the region.
The immunization program was further expanded to include anthrax and smallpox vaccinations of all Soldiers serving in the Central Command and parts of the European theater.
The expansion adds Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to the 15 previously designated high threat areas in CENTCOM and EUCOM. Emergency-essential and equivalent civilian employees and mission-essential contractors assigned to these areas are also included in the expansion.
“The Army vaccinates Soldiers to keep them healthy,” said Col. John Grabenstein, deputy director for military vaccines at the Army Surgeon General’s Office. “Vaccines offer the best round-the-clock protection against infectious disease and help Soldiers come home healthy.”
A policy revision released in August increased the pre-deployment administration window of the anthrax and smallpox vaccinations from 30 to 60 days before departure. According to medical officials, by beginning the administration of the vaccines 30 days earlier, more injections can be administered before deployment. This revision applies to any overseas movement to areas covered by the anthrax and smallpox vaccination program.
According to Department of the Army and Department of Defense officials, both anthrax and smallpox are counted among the top biological warfare threats to U.S. troops. Health officials say the vaccines provide Soldiers with an additional layer of protection, in addition to antibiotics.
“The Army has been giving anthrax vaccine for over seven years now and smallpox vaccine for two years. We continually review these programs to assure the highest quality standards,” Grabenstein said. “We recently reevaluated the bioweapon threats to our forces and found that the threat continues. So we continue to vaccinate to protect the Force.”
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