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Asked by committee chair Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, of the likelihood of another attempted terror attack on the United States in the next three to six months, the officials agreed with Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair's initial answer of "certain."
Boston, MA – In a national poll aimed at helping with planning efforts for a public health response to a possible bioterrorism attack, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) have found that, in response to a fictional scenario describing a significant anthrax attack in their city or town, most Americans (89%) will likely follow public health recommendations to obtain prophylactic antibiotics. However, a significant minority of those likely to pick up antibiotics (39%) will hold on to them rather than take them right away, which public health experts believe may put them at greater risk of serious illness.
Further, 21% of Americans are “not at all familiar” with the term ‘inhalation anthrax’, and an additional 25% hold the mistaken belief that inhalation anthrax is contagious – two factors that could compromise their following emergency instructions meant to protect them against this biological agent. Anthrax has been identified by government planners as a likely agent should there be a future bioterrorist attack, and “inhalation anthrax” is a potentially lethal illness that can be contracted when spores containing anthrax are inhaled. Public health experts believe antibiotics that are started quickly – possibly even before a person is certain they have been exposed to anthrax spores or before symptoms of the illness appear – may have the greatest likelihood of successful treatment. The poll was conducted December 9-28, 2009 among a national sample, as well as people living in areas that actually experienced anthrax attacks in 2001: Washington, DC , Trenton/Mercer County, NJ and New York City. The poll was conducted as part of an ongoing series by the Harvard Opinion Research Program at HSPH.
Also, it can't be assumed that Russian intelligence agencies would remain quiet. They could out the wrongdoers. Just not officially. So there would have to be a closing of the web in advance. As a prelude to an Iran action a fake attack might not help. The Russians have got their back against the wall and can't back down in Iran. So a false flag to launch another war would seem pointless
If you're worried about either, go see your doctor. Get the flu vacc or a script for some Cipro, or both. I'm sure you'll be fine.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010 CONTRACTING PharmAthene wins extension for work on anthrax vaccine Annapolis-based PharmAthene said on Tuesday that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has expanded a development contract for the company's anthrax vaccine, SparVax. The modification could be worth an additional $78.4 million to the company, and it comes on top of $213.2 million in commitments from the federal government for the vaccine, which is in the latter stages of clinical trials. SparVax is being developed as a measure to protect people both before and after exposure to the disease.
An anthrax scare at a Kearny Mesa, California business is under investigation by the FBI. Hazmat crews and firefighters responded to Industrial Metal Supply Company, located on Ronson Road in kearny Mesa, at noon on Thursday after a letter with a device inside of it threw a mist of white powder into the air when an employee opened it.
At this week's Homeland Security budget hearing, Congressman David Price noted his concern about two programs meant to track and alter biothreats.
Price said that both BioWatch and the National Biosurveillance Integration Center have been constantly beset with difficulties. The programs were created by the Department of Homeland Security to inform both state and local governments as well as the federal government of potential and impending bioattacks. [...]
Price, who represents Orange County, California, in the state's 4th district and serves as the chairman of the Office of Health Affairs, told the Homeland Security budget hearing that before money can comfortably be granted to BioWatch, the program's cost must be proven. The funding requests for BioWatch would double its budget.
Al-Qaida's American-born spokesman on Sunday called on Muslims serving in the U.S. armed forces to emulate the Army major charged with killing 13 people in Fort Hood. [...] Gadahn grew up on a goat farm in Riverside County, California, and converted to Islam at a mosque in nearby Orange County.
"You shouldn't make the mistake of thinking that military bases are the only high-value targets in America and the West. On the contrary, there are countless other strategic places, institutions and installations which, by striking, the Muslim can do major damage," he said, an assault rifle leaning up against a wall next to him. [...] In the latest video, Gadahn said those planning attacks did not need to use only firearms like Hasan, but could use other weapons. "As the blessed operations of September 11th showed, a little imagination and planning and a limited budget can turn almost anything into a deadly, effective and convenient weapon."
The Commission on Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism, assembled by the United States Congress post 9/11, issued an interim report last week that called bioterrorism the "most urgent threat" facing the United States. The report said that national security for anti-bioterrorism programs and "appropriate disease surveillance" were severely underfunded and neglected.
"There are bio-weapon monitoring tools immediately available for public and private entities, easy to implement and cost effective," said Tizabi. "Universal Detection Technology's biodetection kits are the first step in meeting the needs of bioterrorism prevention and planning," continued Tizabi.
Universal Detection Technology's kits, certified earlier this year by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as an "Approved Product for Homeland Security," are the industry's only hand-held assay designed to detect and identify up to five separate threats using one sample in a single, easy-to-use device. The kits equip first responders with an effective tool for the rapid onsite detection of up to five biological warfare agents: anthrax, ricin, botulinum toxin, Y. pestis (plague) and Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B (SEB). Detection time is under three minutes.
Trucks burned in possible threat to Calif. police By THOMAS WATKINS (AP) – 14 hours ago LOS ANGELES — Four municipal trucks were set ablaze in a rural Riverside County town plagued by bizarre booby trap attempts to kill police officers, and authorities said Wednesday the fire may be linked to the earlier attacks.
"Everyone is worried, everyone is being careful," Hemet police Lt. Duane Wisehart said. "You get scared a little bit and then you get angry. It keeps happening."
Some lawmakers have criticized the FBI's finding that former Army microbiologist Bruce Ivins acted on his own in producing and mailing letters containing anthrax spores that killed five people and touched off widespread concern following the Sept. 11 attacks.
Orszag said Obama officials had serious qualms about "the appearance and precedent involved when Congress commissions an agency inspector general to replicate a criminal investigation." He wrote that "the commencement of a fresh investigation would undermine public confidence in the criminal investigation and unfairly cast doubt on its conclusion."
Anthrax amendment co-sponsor Representative Rush Holt (D- N.J.), whose district includes the mailbox from which the letters were sent, countered that view in a letter sent last Thursday to the OMB director, writing that "many critical questions in this case remain unanswered" and that "opposing an independent examination of any aspect of the investigation will only fuel the public's belief that the FBI's case could not hold up in court, and that in fact the real killer may still be at large."