Caroline, smallpox is now extinct in the wild because of a world-wide vaccination program. That is why people no longer get vaccinated against it (vaccination against it ceased about 50 years ago).

I see no reason to doubt that vaccination against another infectious and often lethal virus (Covid-19) will be different.

My father was born in 1902 and I distinctly recall his smallpox vaccination scar. It looked much larger than mine and wasn't on the arm--it may have been on his leg but I can't recall. Anyway, they had smallpox vaccinations even back then. My mother had one too (born 1903).

Mine were born in 09 and 10 and don't recall the vaccination scares or talk from them. But it's interesting for me., and my smallpox vac in about 1943 to get in school, I had a pretty big scab on my arm for a while and then it went away for years and left a mark and then about 10+ yrs ago a big brown scab formed in that area and it's been there for over 10 yrs and I use oils on it and can rub some of it off, but it's there...and wonder what that is all about.....it does not hurt so I don't go to docs about it. Feel it's part of the vaccine ...

It was 1798 when the small pox vaccination came about. My scar is on my upper thigh. It hurt when it was done. Of course I wasn't born back then.

Kitt

Vaccination for small pox ended in 1972 when it was eradicated in the USA.

Kitt