Wilderness Survival Terrorism Preparation TERRORISM FAQ
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| TERRORISM FAQ |
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| Sunday, 03 April 2005 | |
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Since the events of 11 September 2001, the world has been on alert for terrorist strikes and airplane hijacks. 1. What is anthrax? Anthrax is a disease caused by bacteria called Bacillus anthracis. The form of the disease that health authorities are concerned that a bioterrorist attack might produce is inhalational anthrax. Inhalational anthrax occurs when a person breathes in anthrax spores. As early as a day or two after exposure or as late as seven weeks afterward, the spores begin to grow rapidly and the victim develops fever, has difficulty breathing and feels miserable. Death typically occurs within a few days after these symptoms if the person doesn't receive medical treatment. It is believed that antibiotics can stop the disease if they are taken at the time the anthrax spores begin to grow or very soon thereafter. In the event of a bioterrorist attack, health authorities would conduct a rapid investigation, determine the place and time of the release, and identify individuals who need antibiotics. The federal government has stockpiled antibiotics for large-scale distribution in the event of a bioterrorist attack. 2. Is anthrax contagious? Anthrax is not contagious between people. Healthy people who come into contact with persons sick with anthrax cannot acquire the disease. Anthrax can be transmitted through contact with infected animal products. 3. How dangerous is skin (cutaneous) anthrax? Not very, if treated promptly. Anthrax can enter the skin through a cut or abrasion, but it rarely enters the bloodstream through this route. After infection, the area swells up, may get blisters, and turns into a dark brown or black scab, which falls off in one to two weeks. This form of anthrax has been common in animal handlers in less developed areas of the world. Although skin anthrax can sometimes clear up without treatment, antibiotics are highly effective and easily available. Remember, soap and water are the first line of defense against germs on the skin. 4. Should I buy antibiotics just in case? No. There are a number of different germs a bioterrorist might use to carry out an attack. Many antibiotics are effective for a variety of diseases, but there is no antibiotic that is effective against all diseases. Thus, no single pill can protect against all types of biological weapon attacks. Keeping a supply of antibiotics on hand poses other problems because the antibiotics have a limited "shelf life" before they lose their strength. There is currently no justification for taking antibiotics without a confirmed exposure to a specific organism, which that antibiotic would be effective against. Also, it should be known that antibiotics can cause side effects. They should only be taken with medical supervision. 5. Should I buy a gas mask? No. A mask would only protect you if you were wearing it at the exact moment a bioterrorist attack occurred. Unfortunately, a release of a biological agent is most likely to be done "covertly," that is, without anyone knowing it. That means you would not know ahead of time to put on your mask. To wear a mask continuously or "just in case" a bioterrorist attack occurs, is impractical, if not impossible. To work effectively, masks must be specially fitted to the wearer, and wearers must be trained in their use. This is usually done for the military and for workers in industries and laboratories who face routine exposure to chemicals and germs on the job. Gas masks purchased at an Army surplus store or off the internet carry no guarantees that they will work. In fact, one national chain of surplus stores provides the following statement: "(X) has been selling gas masks as a novelty item since 1948. We have never been able to warrant their effectiveness and we cannot do so at this time...We do not know what each type of gas mask we sell might or might not be effective against...We do not know the age of each gas mask" In brief, no guarantees whatsoever are provided. More serious is the fact that the masks can be dangerous. There are reports of accidental suffocation when people have worn masks incorrectly, as happened to some Israeli civilians during the Persian Gulf War. 6. Is it safe for me to drink water from the tap? Yes. It would be extremely difficult for a bioterrorist to contaminate our drinking water supplies to cause widespread illness. There are two reasons. First of all, huge amounts of water are pumped daily from our reservoirs, most of which is used for industrial and other purposes; very little is actually consumed. Thus, anything deliberately put into the water supply would be greatly diluted. Secondly, water treatment facilities routinely filter the water supply and add chlorine in order to kill harmful germs. 7. What is smallpox? Smallpox is a disease caused by the Variola virus. Historically, 1 out of 3 people who contracted the disease died. The disease can spread from person to person. Transmission usually occurs only after the patient develops a fever and rash. Although there is no treatment for the disease, a vaccine against smallpox provides excellent protection and serves to stop the spread of the disease. While many vaccines must be given weeks or months before a person is exposed to infection, smallpox vaccine is different. It protects a person even when given 2 to 3 days after exposure to the disease and may prevent a fatal outcome even when given as late as 4 to 5 days after exposure. Smallpox was stamped out globally by 1980 and vaccination stopped everywhere in the world. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintain an emergency supply of smallpox vaccine. Currently there are 12-15 million doses in storage, and a program to produce more vaccine began a year ago. 8. If smallpox is a potential threat to the U.S., why shouldn't we all get vaccinated? The vaccine may cause serious side effects. In 1972, the U.S. decided to stop routinely vaccinating its citizens because many people were experiencing side effects, while they had almost no risk of getting smallpox. By 1972, the disease was present only in a few countries of Asia and Africa. Today, health authorities would only recommend vaccination if there was clear evidence that the disease had resurfaced and those in the U.S. were at risk of acquiring infection.Many people over age 30 have a vaccination scar. Vaccination consists of introducing the virus into the top layers of the skin. Over the following few days, a blister forms at the site of vaccination (usually the upper arm). The arm is sore, and there is fever. Very rarely, some people get a vaccine- related infection of the brain (about 1 case per 300,000 vaccinations); one fourth of these cases are fatal. Other potential negative effects of the vaccine are a severe skin reaction, spread of the vaccine virus (known as Vaccinia) to other parts of the body, and spread of the Vaccinia virus to other people. 9. If I was vaccinated against smallpox before 1980, am I still protected? Probably not. Vaccination has been shown to wear off in most people after 10 years but may last longer if the person has been successfully vaccinated on multiple occasions. If health authorities determine that you have been exposed to smallpox or are at risk of infection, they would recommend that you be re-vaccinated immediately. 10. What is the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile (NPS)? The NPS is a large reserve of antibiotics, chemical antidotes and other medical supplies set aside for emergencies. The CDC reports that it has the capacity to move these stockpiled materials to affected areas in the U.S. within 12 hours of notification. There are a number of different stockpiles, strategically located around the country. In addition to the medical supplies already set aside, the federal government has made agreements with drug manufacturers to make large amounts of additional emergency medicine. For more information on the NPS. 11. What if my fear about bioterrorism is having a serious impact on my family and work life? Given the attacks upon civilians that took place on September 11, it is reasonable for citizens to feel anxious about their personal safety. Should your fear get to the point that it stops you from doing the things you would normally do in a day, it might be helpful to talk with someone. Your health care provider can make a referral if you do not already have someone in mind. In the wake of the attack on New York City, we have learned how helpful it has been to many New Yorkers to speak with a counselor or to go to a mental health center. The information below describes how to identify a suspicious mail piece and the procedures to follow: 12. What constitutes a suspicious letter or parcel? Some typical characteristics which ought to trigger suspicion include letters or parcels that: * Have any powdery substance on the outside. * Are unexpected or from someone unfamiliar to you. * Have excessive postage, handwritten or poorly typed address, incorrect titles or titles with no name, or misspellings of common words. * Are addressed to someone no longer with your organization or are otherwise outdated. * Have no return address, or have one that can't be verified as legitimate. * Are of unusual weight, given their size, or are lopsided or oddly shaped. * Have an unusual amount of tape. * Are marked with restrictive endorsements, such as "Personal" or "Confidential." * Have strange odors or stains. 13. What Should I do if I Receive an Anthrax Threat by Mail? * Do not handle the mail piece or package suspected of contamination. * Make sure that damaged or suspicious packages are isolated and the immediate area cordoned off. * Ensure that all persons who have touched the mail piece wash their hands with soap and water. * Notify your local law enforcement authorities. * List all persons who have touched the letter and/or envelope. * Include contact information and have this information available for the authorities. * Place all items worn when in contact with the suspected mail piece in plastic bags and have them available for law enforcement agents. * As soon as practical, shower with soap and water. * Notify the Center for Disease Control Emergency Response at 770-488-7100 for answers to any questions. |
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