What is the purpose of vaccination in a post-exposure to smallpox scenario?

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Post-exposure vaccination is about triggering a rapid immune response after contact with the smallpox virus so that the illness is less likely to develop or will be milder, and to reduce the chance of spreading infection to others. Because smallpox has an incubation period, receiving the vaccine soon after exposure can prevent symptoms from appearing or lessen their severity, which in turn limits transmission within the community. It is not a cure for an already established disease, so once symptoms have started the vaccine won’t reverse the illness. PPE still plays a crucial role in prevention, and vaccination is not intended to prevent other, non-smallpox diseases.