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The smallpox vaccine isn't given as a "shot," like most vaccines. Instead, it's given with a needle that has two tiny prongs on the end, called a bifurcated needle. The needle is dipped into the vaccine, so that a small amount sticks between the prongs. Then, the needle is used to prick the skin of the person being vaccinated, quickly, 3 or 15 times. The needle pokes through the surface of the skin. The place where vaccine was given may be sore, and one or two tiny droplets of blood may form. The vaccination is usually given in the upper arm.
If the vaccination is successful, a red and itchy bump develops at the vaccination site in three or four days. In the first week after vaccination, the bump becomes a large blister, fills with pus, and begins to drain. During week two, the blister begins to dry up and a scab forms. The scab falls off in the third week, leaving a small scar. People who are being vaccinated for the first time may have a stronger reaction than those who have been vaccinated before.
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