Media Release

For Immediate Release
Date: May 13, 2003
Contact: Robert Marshall, PhD  401-222-1017

Rhode Island Resumes Smallpox Vaccination Clinic ; Clinic Will Operate Two Days per Week

CORRECTION

                Today’s media release contained incorrect information regarding the date on which smallpox vaccinations will actually occur.  See the underlined portion of the corrected information (below). Please accept our apologies for this error.    

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Today the Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) announced the resumption of smallpox vaccination for a strategic reserve of health care workers willing to act as “vaccinators or vaccine monitors” or to help care for smallpox patients if the disease ever appears in RI.  HEALTH relocated the state-operated clinic to the Mathias Building at the Eleanor Slater Hospital (Pastore Center, Cranston, RI) in cooperation with the RI Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals (MHRH).  Depending on vaccine demand, the clinic will operate two or more days per week through June 2003.  The vaccination of additional volunteers will begin on Thursday, May 15, 2003. 

            “The resumption of smallpox vaccination continues our participation in the federal program,” said Patricia A. Nolan, MD, MPH, Director of the RI Department of Health. “Increasing the number of vaccinated health care workers for our strategic reserve helps us to be better prepared should this disease ever occur in Rhode Island.”

            HEALTH vaccinated 22 health care workers in mid-March.  Only one recipient experienced a mild, self-limiting reaction. The confidential nature of this health service precludes media access to routine clinic operations.  HEALTH will continue to post the number of people vaccinated and adverse reactions weekly on the website at www.HEALTH.ri.gov.