Sen. Frist inoculated, trained to give smallpox vaccine
From Karla Crosswhite-Chigbue
CNN Washington Bureau
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Sen. Bill Frist gets the smallpox vaccination Friday. He also received training that will allow him to administer the shots in the future.
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist will be able to serve as a front-line responder to help administer the smallpox vaccine following training he received Friday.
Frist, a board-certified surgeon, received an inoculation and training to administer the vaccine Friday at the Department of Health and Human Services, making him the first member of Congress to do so.
"It is my hope that I will never be called upon to use the skills I've learned today," he said. "However, as long as there continues to be a risk of attack on our homeland, it's critically important that health professionals and front-line responders do our best to be prepared."
After Friday's training and completion of appropriate documentation, Frist, R-Tennessee, will be commissioned by the U.S. surgeon general as a member of the Reserve Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service.
Frist is already part of the District of Columbia response team, but as part of the commission he could be called to respond anywhere in the world in the event of a bioterrorism attack.
National Institutes of Health nurse Lucienne Nelson administered his shot. She told him he may develop a slight fever, redness around the area and itching. Frist called the vaccine "painless."
Before his inoculation, Frist spoke briefly on the phone with U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona. He told him he looks forward to the opportunity to serve if called upon, and thinks it's vital to send the message that the vaccine is important.
About 450,000 first responders are eligible to be inoculated, but so far only 16,919 have been vaccinated nationwide, said Bill Pierce of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Last year, President Bush announced a voluntary vaccination policy for health professionals and front-line workers to ensure an effective response should the smallpox virus be released.
