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Disaster Preparedness: Biological Threat
Unlike so many other disasters and emergencies, a biological threat is one of the only ones thatcan go undetected for a long period of time. Most other emergencies, like natural disasters,terrorist attacks, or personal emergencies like house fires or cars breaking down, are immediatelynoticeable. No one is going to be able to ignore a tornado tearing across the Midwest, or a bombgoing off in a major city. And although it sometimes happens that someone will directly comeacross the source of a biological threat, it is much more likely that health care workers will reporta string of unusual or numerous illnesses in a particular area.Once a biological threat has been noticed, however, health care authorities and local or even federal governments may not be able to tell people what precautions to take[i].The biological threat has to go through extensive testing in all sort of national and sometimes eveninternational laboratories before the severity of the threat can be determined. And even then, themost reliable way to determine how severe a threat is is to see how people react to thecontaminant, and then announce an emergency once enough people have been infected towarrant that plan of action.Therefore, it is often up to ordinary people to understand the dangers of a biologicalthreat, and to know what precautions it is important for them or their families to take in case of such an emergency. There are a few rules that each individual can follow to ensure that they areas protected as possible until receiving further instructions from authorities.First, understand that a biological threat must be a deliberate attempt to cause disease or infection through the use of germs, viruses, bacteria, or other infectious agents[ii]. It is not, for example, a declared pandemic like theSwine Flu(or the H1N1 virus). Although these illnessesare dangerous and do require preparation andeducation to avoid, they are not a deliberate attack.An example of what is a biological threat would be the Anthrax letters of 2001, after 9/11[iii].Anthrax cannot be spread from person to person, but when someone comes in contactwith it, as people did with these letters, it can cause a serious and at times fatal illness. In thiscase, five people died as a result of contact with the contaminants in the letters, and 17 otherswere infected.While it may be unlikely that someone will randomly receive a letter full of anthrax, a biological attack grows more and more likely as the world grows more uneasy. And biologicalattacks don’t have to be just contaminants in letters, either. They can be a deliberateefforttospread a virus, likeSmallpox or something equally infectious, or even infecting animals or cropsin an attempt to destroy food sources or possibly infect the people who consume that food.Again, this is why it is so important to be prepared for this sort of emergency. There arean enormous number of ways and agents that people could use to attempt a biological attack, andthe government may not always know what to do to help prevent it until it’s too late. Sometimes,as stated, these things can go undetected until enough people are sick.Once they are detected, however, another part of preparation is understanding thedifferent levels of threats. The first and most dangerous level is Category A, which includestoxins that are easily spreadfrom person to person, have a high fatality rate, and require specialaction on the part of health professionals to treat and prevent[iv]. Some examples of theseinclude Anthrax,botulism, and Smallpox.The second level is Category B, which are toxins that are fairly easy to spread, have lowdeath rates, and might cause some level of public panic. Included in this category are Salmonella,Typhus, and any water supply threats.
 
Finally, Category C is those threats which are easily available and have a high potentialfor high fatality or infection rates. Any emerging toxins that could be engineered to createdisease ordeath areincluded in Category C. Once the government declares an officialemergency with a category, it will be simpler for those who understand what each one means to protect themselves and take necessary precautions for their families.Once people understand what a biological threat really means, and what the severity of that threat is, they can start preparing. It is most likely that people will learn of a biological threatthrough some sort of medium—television, newspaper, radio, or Internet. Therefore it’s importantto stay updated, although it isn’t necessary to watch the evening news every night to do so. If there’s a real emergency, then all television and radio stations will feature an emergency broadcast.In order to prepare, every person should, of course, have afirst aid kithandy in case of emergencies, and it’s equally important to have one available to prevent infection. Make sure toconstantly disinfect hands and to keep any cuts or lacerations sanitized and covered. It’s also agood idea to have somemasksreadily available, and not just for those who aren’t sick.It hasactuallybeenrecommended that anyone who has contracted the disease wear amask at all times to avoid infecting others[v].The Ready Store sells vented particulate respirator face masks that are highly efficient at providing protection against any biological pathogens; thismask has also received the highest efficiency rating by NIOSH(The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health).People should also call their doctor before they or anyone intheir family is infected and make certain that all their immunizations are up to date. It’s alsoworth considering installing a HEPA air filter in the house. They attach to the central air or heating, and will filter out most of the biological agents that may enter the house[vi].In the even thata family memberdoes becomeinfectedhowever, there are things peoplecan do besides have them wear a mask for safety. It is also important to monitor their symptomsand be more suspicious of any illness. This doesn’t mean that a cough should send someone intothe E.R., but it does mean that symptoms like a high fever, a rash or infection of the skin, astomachache, diarrhea, or vomiting should all be monitored closely. Medical advice should also be sought, though not necessarily at a hospital. Calling a medical authority should suffice unlesssymptoms seem very serious.Although direct exposure to a toxin is rare, it does happen and it’s important to knowwhat to do if it happens. First, of course, get away from the toxin as quickly as possible. Don’trisk any personal safety to remove it; just call toxin or poison control.Someone who’s been incontact with toxins should remove their clothing and place it in a bag until they can be disposedof, and then should wash thoroughly with soap and water.In the event that the unknown agent is released and cannot be removed quickly, wear either masks or breathe through several layers of cotton (like a folded up t-shirt). While thiswon’t remove all the organisms, it has been proven useful in filtering out many of them. If exposed to the toxin, contact a doctor to discuss isolation, quarantine, and antibiotics, all of which are useful in preventing and treating disease.Finally, make certain that once aware of a biological emergency, and once all the precautions have been taken, people and their families remain updated. Once authoritiesdetermine the severity of the threat, it could change the precautions and procedures that peopleneed to take to stay safe. This will be useful in finding out if it’s safe to go to public places andwhat place, if any are available, to pick up vaccinations or medication[vii]. And, of course,
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