Smallpox Vaccinations

Do any of our more seasoned veterans have any recollections of administering smallpox vaccinations in the pre 2000 era?
I don't remember Smallpox vaccine being used on the general population after the 1970s. I had it as part of my school shots as a child in the late 60s and then never again. It wasn't a pleasant experience. I think WHO declared it as eradicated disease in the 70s.Just remember a bubble, a prick and a swollen arm.

Just out of curiosity, why did the vaccine leave that dime sized white scar? At least that's where my parents say those scars came from?

The vaccine caused a scab which for some reason needed to be protected until it fell off. When it did- the scar. I got mine in 1960. My sister got hers the next year, except on her hip where it wouldn't show. I wear mine proudly on my left shoulder in honor of an eradicated pestilence!

The vaccine site needed to be covered because you could infect someone with smallpox until the scab fell off. It required 15 pokes with a bifurcated needle dipped in the live vaccine in a circular pattern...hence the dime sized scar.I got mine lined up in school with a "Jet injector" leaving a circular scar on the circumference with a slightly raised center.

The scar is because it's a live vaccine that causes a pox blister much larger than a chicken pox but scabbed over and fell off. Covering the site, if I recall correctly, was to prevent transmission of the live virus. It was a standard vaccination through June 1972 when it tapered off. It was no longer given when I was born but friends and colleagues have the indented scar. The scar is similar to chicken pox scars but often larger and deeper. It was a series of small pricks and a blister resulted from the inoculation.From the CDC:http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/vaccination/I was born just after the disease was considered eradicated eliminating routine vaccination. Grade school/high school/college classmates born only a couple of months earlier received the vaccination and have the scar to prove it. Now it is only given in response to a verified bio terroristic threat and according to the CDC each state doh has a stockpile of vaccination to administer to all citizens/residents.

It's nice to hear from our fellow recrepiants of the smallpox vaccine, but does anyone know anyone who actually performed the procedure? Several years ago P_RN stated in a post that she had administered many hundreds of smallpox vaccinations. In the post she indicated that the outcome of her incertions varied markedly from individual to individual. I would find it interesting to hear from someone like her if they have any knowledge why the size, placement, and even number of scars varies to such a large extent. One would think there would be a set standard.

Thanks for the 1972 time frame. It greatly explains why my husband and sister (born 6 months apart in 1969 and 1970 respectively) have scars and I don't (born in 1974)

Quote from 1highlandsladIt's nice to hear from our fellow recrepiants of the smallpox vaccine, but does anyone know anyone who actually performed the procedure? Several years ago P_RN stated in a post that she had administered many hundreds of smallpox vaccinations. In the post she indicated that the outcome of her incertions varied markedly from individual to individual. I would find it interesting to hear from someone like her if they have any knowledge why the size, placement, and even number of scars varies to such a large extent. One would think there would be a set standard.

Quote from 1highlandsladIt's nice to hear from our fellow recrepiants of the smallpox vaccine, but does anyone know anyone who actually performed the procedure? Several years ago P_RN stated in a post that she had administered many hundreds of smallpox vaccinations. In the post she indicated that the outcome of her incertions varied markedly from individual to individual. I would find it interesting to hear from someone like her if they have any knowledge why the size, placement, and even number of scars varies to such a large extent. One would think there would be a set standard.

School nurses did it. We just lined up and rolled up our sleeves and held the permission slip from our parents in the other hand. Everybody in the class had their shots and never remember anyone not going in.

Interesting. My husband, born in 1970, did not get vaccinated for smallpox. For context, all my older sisters had the vaccine (65-68) and I did not (73).

Was this vaccine considered especially painful with the 15 pokes and the special needle? Cause it looks it! Very interesting that you can't use alcohol to clean the site! I would dream of giving a vaccine without an alcohol scrub first now!