Safeguards urged for Nevadans

Friday, Feb. 7, 2003 | 11:16 a.m.

As the federal government continues planning to vaccinate thousands of frontline health care workers against smallpox, Nevada health-care employees are urging local hospitals to put safeguards in place before vaccinations being.

"It's critical that employees and patients fully understand the potential risks involved in vaccination," said Vicky Hedderman, president of Service Employees International Union, Local 1107, and a health-care worker at University Medical Center's burn care unit.

Public health officials estimate that about one in three people vaccinated will feel too sick to work or provide proper patient care for one or more days. As many as 1,000 of every 1 million people vaccinated could become seriously ill and a few may die.

The Bush administration is asking roughly 500,000 front-line hospital workers to volunteer to be vaccinated against smallpox in case they are needed to immunize the public during a bioterrorism attack.