will we survive if smallpox was let loose again?

Answer 1

There is a product of nature that can probably stop it, it can stop anthrax, malaria, sepsis, pneumonia, TB and a whole lot more

Answer 2

Smallpox will infect over 90% of the un-immunized people who are exposed to it. If smallpox was "let loose" again, over 50% of the people who developed smallpox would die. Smallpox is very contagious, and there is no protection against it, other than to be vaccinated against smallpox.

Unfortunately, they stopped vaccinating against smallpox about 40 years ago, when smallpox was supposedly "eradicated" from the world, but there is still live smallpox bacteria that is stored in labs. It if ever got outside the lab, the result would be devastating. There are millions of people walking around all over the world today who were never vaccinated against smallpox - vaccination was no longer thought to be necessary. 

Perhaps they should begin routine vaccination against smallpox again - just in case. 

Answer 3

It infects 90% of an unimmunized population. Of those, half die. (That would be 45%) Would civilization collapse if 45% of the people die? The Aztecs did not survive it when Cortez bought it to them in 1520. The Incas did not survive it when it spread down to them in 1540. The Indians of North American did not do well either. The bad part of it today is us old people were immunized against smallpox years ago and the immunization will probably protect us. It is all those people under 40 that are going to get it. Now the plus side, the USA and Israel have both stated they have enough vaccine for their entire populations. Russia probably does too. Everyone else is going to be screwed.

Answer 4

Since most of the world's population is either totally unvaccinated against smallpox or the protective effect of the vaccine will have worn off (vaccination was stopped in the late 1960s/early 70s).

It would take a significantly long tme to create enough vaccine, distribute it around the world and arrange vaccination sessions, so a high percentage of the population would probably be killed by the smallpox.

Answer 5

those of us who are vaccinated, sure

Answer 6

Yeah, but millions would still die in areas without adequate healthcare.

Answer 7

DEpends on the people if they act  like they should or go crazy and wild spreading the mess all about, or if there is a vaccine again to get rid of  it again.

Answer 8

We, being people born before 1972, will do just fine since we were vaccinated. 

Answer 9

Who is 'we?'

Would the human race be wiped out? No.

Would many people fall ill and some die? Yes.