How do you keep smallpox away?

Answer 1

This is at present an academic issue because smallpox has been eradicated and is not expected to return, unless it is released from some biological weapons stockpile (which would be an immense tragedy, were it to happen). But in the past, there were lots of people who did survive smallpox. Historically, the disease had a roughly 50% mortality rate. Half the patients would die, half would live. The disease is very hard for the immune system to attack because it has a method of inducing host cells to grow tubes reaching to other cells, through which the virus can travel without being exposed to the blood and the while blood cells which would attack it. However, the human immune system is quite good at what it does, and in some cases can even overcome smallpox. The only way you can help out your immune system is by getting vaccinated in advance. Once you actually have the disease, vaccination can no longer help. So, if you survive smallpox it will be due to a cellular level response, rather than a conscious level response. There is not much you can do about it. But again, you are not going to get smallpox, the disease has been eradicated.

Answer 2

At the present time, smallpox is no longer a danger to the public; it has been wiped out and only exists in research laboratories and biological weapons caches. However, if there were a danger of getting smallpox, you could defend yourself by getting a vaccination.

Answer 3

Be inoculated with the vaccine and avoid Spanish conquistadors giving out free blankets.