WASHINGTON — A standing advisory committee to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention yesterday said for the first time that emergency response personnel might consider receiving anthrax vaccinations prior to any biological terrorism event (see GSN, Oct. 16).
(Oct. 23) -
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices had previously issued guidance recommending against immunizing first responders with the anthrax vaccine. The panel’s 2000 statement noted that because the likelihood of a bioterrorism incident was unknown, individuals exposed to an attack could instead be treated effectively afterwards with a combination of vaccine and antibiotics.
On the opening day of a two-day meeting in Atlanta, the panel decided that the existence of even a “low” threat of an anthrax attack might prompt first responders to seek the six-shot series of the preventive vaccine, plus annual boosters. Police, firefighters and emergency medical personnel could be among the first to enter an area contaminated by anthrax spores during or after any strike.
However, the committee emphasized that — unlike the Defense Department’s mandatory inoculation effort for personnel deemed most vulnerable to attack — shots for first responders should be considered voluntary.
“Emergency and other responders, including police departments, fire departments, hazardous material units, government responders, the [National] Guard and others, are not recommended for routine pre-event anthrax vaccination,” said Curtis Allen, a CDC spokesman, in a statement describing the immunization group’s revised recommendation.
“However, the committee recognized that while the risk of exposure for first responders to anthrax is low it may not be zero,” Allen continued. “Therefore, first responder units may choose to offer their workers pre-event vaccination on a voluntary basis. The vaccination program should be carried out under the direction of a comprehensive occupational health and safety program.”
As it stands, routine vaccination prior to exposure is not recommended for the general public, including medical professionals, postal workers, children, or pregnant or breastfeeding women, Allen said.
The panel does recommend routine vaccination for other groups, he said. Those include laboratory workers who work with anthrax; select military personnel and environmental workers who enter areas contaminated with anthrax.