A new report by the GAO (Government Accountability Office--formerly General Accounting Office) says that officials underestimated the risks to workers when anthrax-containing letters were handled in U.S. Postal Service (USPS) facilities in 2001. The findings suggest as well that revised USPS guidelines about responding to an anthrax attack need additional work. In September and October of that year, letters containing anthrax spores were sent to elected officials and media outlets. As a result, 22 cases of anthrax among workers and the public occurred, and two employees in a New Jersey post office died.
USPS was faulted by GAO for turning to public health agencies to assess the risk. After some agencies determined the risk was minimal, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified cases of anthrax and had some post offices shut down.
USPS has since developed an intensive training program to prepare inspectors in biohazard detection and related skills. Also, the postal service reportedly is installing equipment to detect the presence of anthrax in mail-handling facilities. The report is GAO-04-239--available at
http://www.gao.gov. http://safety.blr.com/display.cfm/id/96809US to attack New Mexico town with Anthrax!
ANI< TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2004 03:44:54 AM >
LONDON: Owing to the ever increasing terrorist scare in America following 9/11 and the activities that took place in its aftermath, the US government has purchased an entire town to use it as a training ground for emergency workers and anti-te
rrorist squads.
According to the Sun , the town of Playas in New Mexico, which lies completely deserted after its 1,000 inhabitants were asked to move out, will be targeted with anthrax attacks, suicide bombings and the poisoning of its water supply. It will be used to open a special college for training.
"It has all the characteristics of an American community - the churches, the bank, the health clinic, even the baseball diamonds," the report quoted Van Romero, the director of the college as saying.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/866891.cms:shrug: