Ring Vaccination for Smallpox
Ring vaccination is a strategy to control disease. It was used to
control
smallpox until the last naturally occurring case in
1977. When an infection was diagnosed, all people who were or may have been
exposed were found and vaccinated. Then a second "ring" of people who may
have been exposed to the first ring were also found and vaccinated.
Many disease-control experts support ring vaccination instead of mass vaccination of the American public.
ByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer Christine Hahn, MD - Epidemiology
Current as ofNovember 18, 2017
Current as of:
November 18, 2017