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[nn0831]

The sentence below is from the article about smallpox.

" the Center for Disease Control in the U.S. advises "ring vaccination", a startegy in which contacts of known infected individuals, as well as contacts of the contacts, would be immediately vaccinated, because this can halt the infection even after exposure."

My question is what "as well as" means in this sentence.
According to my knowledge, "as well as" means "in addition to."
Therefore, does it mean "Contacts of known infected individuals, in addition to contacts of the contacts would be immediately vaccinated."?
However, it doesn't really make sense to me.
To me, instead, "Contacts of the contacts as well as contacts of known infected individuals would be immediately vaccinated." sounds more reasonable reagarding the content.
I think it is realatively normal to vaccinate contacts of known infected individuals, and vaccinating contacts of the contacts is kinda special; therefore, I feel "Contacts of the contacts, in addition to the contacts of known ifected indivisuals" sounds more reasonable.

Could anybody tell me the meaning of the original sentence please?

[ad-miral]

Many teachers here know that I'm not a teacher but that I like to talk in English.

The conjunction "as well as" is used to combine two objects with the same importance. If we go to a shop, maybe the cashier can say: "We accept cash as well as credit cards."

The two objects here are marked in green:

The original sentence is: " the Center for Disease Control in the U.S. advises "ring vaccination", a strategy in which contacts of known infected individuals, as well as contacts of the contacts, would be immediately vaccinated, because this can halt the infection even after exposure."

That would mean that both the "contacts of known infested individuals" and the "contacts of contacts" will be vaccinated. "The contacts" are as important as the "contacts of the contacts".

[nn0831]

Thank you very much for your answer to my question.
Since I learned "A as well as B" = "not only B but also A" ,
and B is something normal while A is something special,
the sentence didn't make sense to me.