2004 Press Releases
Rome Memorial Hospital conducts smallpox drill Rome Memorial Hospital conducted a smallpox drill Thursday, Oct. 14, to determine how much time it would take to immunize its employees and their families in the event of a smallpox outbreak, according to Infection Control Director LeAnna Grace. Although the last natural outbreak of smallpox in the U.S. occurred in 1949, smallpox has been identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a potential weapon in a bioterrorist attack. Rome Memorial Hospital’s drill is part of a national effort to develop and test readiness plans in the event of an outbreak. “One of the first priorities of a smallpox response plan is to vaccinate healthcare workers to ensure that they are available to vaccinate others and provide critical services if there is a widespread outbreak,” said Grace, the hospital’s bioterrorism coordinator. “We would also need to vaccinate employees’ family members to protect them from possible exposure.” Thursday’s drill focused upon assessing the resources that would be needed to vaccinate approximately 3,000 people within the required 24-hour time frame. Planners also evaluated the process for providing critical education to those being vaccinated and roll played situations where people refused to be vaccinated. In the scenario, the hospital was ordered by the Oneida County Health Department to begin vaccinating all hospital staff members and their families after a single case of smallpox had been confirmed. The pretend patient had been treated in Rome Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department for flu-like symptoms and subsequently tested positive for smallpox three days later. “The frightening thing about smallpox is that it may not be immediately recognized because early symptoms mimic the flu. In addition, we haven’t seen a case of smallpox in the U.S. in 55 years,” said Vice President of Medical Affairs Gale Fellowes, M.D. "If a patient doesn’t present with the tell-tale rash that emerges when victims are most contagious, it will likely be diagnosed as the flu or other viral infection." The symptoms of smallpox begin with high fever, head and body aches, and sometimes vomiting. After two to four days, a rash follows that spreads and progresses to raised bumps and pus-filled blisters that crust, scab, and fall off after about three weeks, leaving a pitted scar. “In the event of a real public health emergency, Rome Memorial Hospital would be working closely with state and local Departments of Health, the CDC and law enforcement to help keep the public informed, mitigate panic and launch an effective strategy to contain the spread of the disease,” Dr. Fellowes said. “Although the focus of this drill was smallpox, it really tested our readiness to respond to any type of emergency that requires mass vaccinations.” The drill was coordinated by Grace, Nursing Supervisor Kim Weiler, R.N., coordinator of the hospital’s Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant; Emergency Department Director Kathy O’Rourke, RN, the hospital’s disaster coordinator; and Education Director Gale Barone. | 