Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Latest Breaking News

Hekate

(100,133 posts)

11. Actually, we now have a virgin population of several generations....

Reply to wnylib (Reply #9)

Wed May 18, 2022, 11:31 PM

May 2022

Since the smallpox vaccine was discontinued in the US in 1972, most people younger than 50 have never been vaccinated at all.

The vaccination will protect you for about 3 to 5 years, then decreases. So everybody over 50 also no longer has immunity.

It was a dreadful disease which could kill or leave survivors scarred all over. It was the first ever eradicated by vaccination, a tremendous public health success. Still, it felt very strange to me when my own children, born in the 1970s, were not vaccinated.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

31 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Monkeypox cases under investigation in Canada as outbreak spreads in Europe, U.S. [View all] AntiFascist May 2022 OP

If I was to guess, it's probably more a promiscuity thing than a gay thing in particular Hugh_Lebowski May 2022 #1

Here's what the CDC recommends... AntiFascist May 2022 #2

A locust plague MOMFUDSKI May 2022 #3

Sort of... tavernier May 2022 #24

Looks a lot like smallpox, very low death rate, which seems more due to Warpy May 2022 #4

According to this it is fatal in Africa in 1 out of 10 cases, more likely among children... AntiFascist May 2022 #5

One in ten, and that's likely without adequate supportive treatment Warpy May 2022 #7

Most Americans have been vaccinated wnylib May 2022 #9

Actually, we now have a virgin population of several generations.... Hekate May 2022 #11

I am familiar with smallpox history, wnylib May 2022 #12

Hooo boy ... electric_blue68 May 2022 #17

My tribal ancestral history is much wnylib May 2022 #18

Ah, I figured you yourself had more upper western NYS... I was referring... electric_blue68 May 2022 #19

Seneca and Mohawk, through my grandmother, wnylib May 2022 #20

Got it.... electric_blue68 May 2022 #21

2nd generation immigrant - that would be wnylib May 2022 #22

True. I've never been vaccinated for smallpox, for example. herding cats May 2022 #16

Some studies - smallpox vaccine can protect for a lifetime womanofthehills May 2022 #25

That's what I learned as a child -- then I look it up this week, and oops. So I hope the old info is Hekate May 2022 #27

Military might still get vaccinated Warpy May 2022 #13

I still have two scars from chicken pox. wnylib May 2022 #14

I had one on my forehead that lasted through my teens Warpy May 2022 #15

Actually, many reports also coming out saying this is a milder monkey pox strain womanofthehills May 2022 #23

Good, he 1 in 10 was the Central African strain. Warpy May 2022 #26

Dumb question. hamsterjill May 2022 #6

Great question. A recent vaccination does work, but only within 3 years of being vaccinated... AntiFascist May 2022 #8

Thank you for the info! hamsterjill May 2022 #10

Other studies say smallpox vaccine can last a lifetime. womanofthehills May 2022 #29

Wow. Good to know. hamsterjill May 2022 #30

According to this study (2007) childhood vaccination does not provide complete protection... AntiFascist May 2022 #31

U.S. Buys Millions of Monkeypox Vaccines As Massachusetts Man Infected AntiFascist May 2022 #28