January 24, 2003

Genesis Medical Center Volunteers For Iowa Smallpox Response Team

Davenport, IA - Genesis Medical Center (GMC) is one of about 15 hospitals in Iowa that has begun preliminary preparations for vaccinating a team of volunteer health care workers who will be called into action in the event of a smallpox release in Iowa.

It's part of the Iowa Department of Public Health's Smallpox Response Plan, the state's approach for meeting the Bush administration's plan for dealing with the threat of a smallpox release by terrorists. As part of the Homeland Security Act, each state must train and vaccinate "rapid response teams" who will provide the initial response to a domestic smallpox incident. "We feel the state's plans are a prudent, limited response to the immeasurable threat of the re-introduction of smallpox by terrorists," says James Lehman, M.D., Vice President of Quality for Genesis Medical Center.

Approximately 50 GMC employees have volunteered and meet the federal and state criteria for vaccination. That criteria includes being previously vaccinated for small pox, which puts them at reduced risk for receiving the vaccine. Volunteers must also have no contraindications such as acute or chronic skin conditions, eczema or atopic dermatitis, or have a suppressed immune system.

GMC volunteers include, but are not limited to, physicians, nurses, infectious disease specialists, respiratory therapists, radiology technicians, housekeeping staff and hospital-based EMS providers. "People have really stepped up to volunteer," Dr. Lehman says. "We've been so successful in our recruitment that other hospitals in the state have called to ask how."

In early February, two Genesis volunteers will be sent to Des Moines to be trained and vaccinated. Upon their return, they will set up a clinic to vaccinate the Genesis team against smallpox. That vaccination is expected to take place between mid February and early March. The team will also be taught how to administer vaccine if needed, and recognize and care for patients suspected to have been infected or exposed to the virus.

Genesis is the only Iowa Quad City hospital and one of at least three hospitals in the Eastern Iowa to have a team. Once medical response teams are in place, they will be called into action by the state health department when a suspicious case of smallpox is reported. The geographic location of that case will determine which team or teams will respond.

Smallpox was wiped out worldwide two decades ago, but the federal government has concerns that the disease could return through a terror attack or war. The last case of smallpox in the United States was in 1949, and routine vaccinations ended in 1972. The highly contagious disease spreads from person to person through close contact and can cause a severe rash, high fever, tiredness, blindness, severe headaches and backaches and in 30 percent of the cases, death.

For more information about smallpox search our Health Library or the Iowa Department of Public Health.