Volunteers needed, deadline to volunteer January 31

The Tennessee Department of Health is developing plans to respond in the event Smallpox is used as a biological weapon.

Because of this, the Upper Cumberland Regional Health Office is in the process of organizing a comprehensive plan to immunize the entire population of the Upper Cumberland Region within ten days, if a case of smallpox is diagnosed anywhere in the world.

Because of the high case fatality rates and the possibility of person to person transmission of Smallpox, the disease is recognized as one of the most serious biological threats to the population.

The disease was effectively eliminated in the early 1970's, with the immunizatrions stopping in 1972. Even individuals who did receive a vaccination prior to 1972, must receive a new immunization in the event a case of Smallpox is reported.

Reports of many different countries developing the Smallpox virus have surfaced during the past year. Because of this the United States is developing a thorough plan to vaccinate everyone who wants the vaccination.

Currently, the US government has all the known small pox vaccination in storage. Vaccinations will NOT be given unless a case of Smallpox is reported somewhere in the country. If that happens, the volunteer clinics will have the vaccine delivered within 24 hours and the clinic must be ready to be up and operating within 24 hours to effectively and efficiently complete vaccinations within 10 days.

There will be six sites in the Upper Cumberland Region that will conduct the mass vaccination clinics, with one of those sites in Macon County.

Macon County Junior High School will be the location of a Smallpox Clinic if one is needed. Each clinic will be required to vaccinate approximately 50,000 individuals in ten days. This clinic will seve residents of Macon, Smith and Clay counties.

In order to be able to conduct the mass vaccination plan, the Upper Cumberland Regional Health Office is currently recruiting volunteers. More than 250 volunteers per day will be needed to staff the clinics.

The Health Department will need volunteers with the following skills or credentials: physicians, nurses, clerical/secretarial, Data entry/medical records personnel, Pharmacists/pharmacy technicians, individuals for traffic control and parking, individuals for crowd control, translators (multiple languages including sign language), EMT skills, Information technology, Mental health professionals, clergy, clinical professionals and/or students who are willing to be trained and assist with immunizations, and General volunteers to assist with directing patients, registration filling out forms, answering phones, etc.

All volunteers will receive orientation and training. Clinic staff will receive additional training appropriate to their assigned task.

For more information regarding volunteering, please contact you local county health department. To volunteer, or for more information, see the related story on Page 10, Section B, or contact Polly Donoho in teh County Executive's office.