Additional
Questions (links to other sites)
What do I do if I receive suspicious mail?
How can I tell the difference between the flu
and Anthrax?
U.S. Centers for Disease Control FAQs |
- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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 Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (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,
go to http://emergency.cdc.gov/stockpile/.
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- 11.
What if my fear about terrorism is having
a serious impact on my family
and work life?
Given the attacks upon civilians that took
place on September 11, 2001 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 previous disasters, we
have learned that it is helpful
to many people if they speak with a counselor
or to go to a mental health
center.
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Be
Responsible - Be Ready - Be Prepared!
Your Emergency Preparedness
Team
Kings County Fire Department, Office of Emergency Management
280 Campus Drive Hanford, CA 93230
(559) 582-3211, Ext. 2634
www.kingscountyoem.com |
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