WASHINGTON -- The U.S. government will soon vaccinate some half-million health care and emergency workers against smallpox as a precaution against a bioterrorist attack, **** The New York Times **** reported Sunday.

The government is also laying the groundwork to carry out mass vaccinations of the general public if there is a large outbreak, the daily reported, citing federal officials.

The policy marks a reversal of the previously-held U.S. position that the best way to respond to smallpox attack is with a very limited public vaccination program.

Since 1983, only 11,000 Americans who work with the virus and its related diseases have received a vaccination, **** The Times **** reported.

The new vaccination safeguards come amid continued talk in Washington of war against Iraq, which terrorism experts suspect of maintaining clandestine stocks of the virus.

Only Russia and the United States have according to AFP acknowledged having stocks of the virus.