§ Dr. Evan HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards(a) vaccinating 350 health care staff in the UK against 1370W smallpox and (b) the other measures outlined in the written statement of 2nd December 2002 on contingency planning. [130201]
§ Mr. HuttonTo date, 280 frontline healthcare workers across the United Kingdom have been vaccinated with the smallpox vaccine.
Implementation of the smallpox interim guidelines is being co-ordinated by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) regional leads. The HPA has established interim guidelines and on existing local emergency plans and arrangements.
Smallpox vaccine stocks have been substantially increased with the announcement of the Government's intention to secure a contract with Aventis Pasteur in June this year. This means that we have sufficient stocks to vaccinate the whole of the UK, if needed, with new second generation, cell-derived smallpox vaccine.