State's smallpox plan lacks volunteers
July 31, 2004, 1:03 PM EDT
HARTFORD, Conn. -- Public health districts in Connecticut lack volunteers to vaccinate state residents in the event of a smallpox outbreak.
Of the state's 2,000 medical volunteers, 428 are trained and ready to take action if a bioterror attack occurred.
The 3.4 million residents in Connecticut would need to be vaccinated in a 10-day period following a smallpox outbreak, according to the state's plan.
"We know in an emergency people would come out of the woodwork to help," said Dr. James Hadler, head of the state's infectious disease division.