Bay Area County Starts Small Pox Vaccinations

San Mateo County is the first in the San Francisco Bay area to vaccinate some health care workers against smallpox. About three-dozen such workers got the inoculations yesterday — including the county´s health director and the state Director for Health Services, Dr. Diana Bonta.

Bonta says those eligible to volunteer for the inoculations will be among the first to deal with a potential outbreak of the dangerous disease. Santa Clara County plans to vaccinate about 500 health workers starting on Monday.

Tuolumne County Supervisors gave their go-ahead this week for county health care workers and emergency responders to be vaccinated beginning next month as well.

Right now, you can´t get a vaccination – but they will be available later for private citizens.

Smallpox has been eradicated and there are no known cases active in the world. Authorities have warned that smallpox is among the things terrorists might use in future attacks.