My Thoughts About Bioterrorism

Little is spoken about biological terrorism but it remains the predominant threat to public safety.  Though the immediate impact of a nuclear or chemical attack is nothing short of devastating, we are prepared to handle such events quickly and effectively – the protocol is consistent and the effected zone limited.  With biological weapons it may take up to one week before the target population begins to show signs and symptoms, and with today’s fast-paced lifestyles a large percentage of those affected will have traveled away from ground zero and spread the disease to many other areas.  In fact, just a few biomartyrs departing from the world’s busiest airports may infect enough people to cause a global pandemic within days.  Additionally, it is possible for new diseases to be created and weaponized in private labs – a considerable problem as it complicates identifying agents and lengthens the health system’s response time.  A cure cannot be produced quickly enough to prevent the death of many people if an outbreak of an unknown pathogen occurs.  Sad, but true.

So, what can be done to protect yourself from a biological attack?   Regrettably, not much.  If you are not infected, sheltering in place is you best option.  It is for this reason you should always be prepared – maintain a few week’s worth of fresh water, food, first aid material, batteries for flashlights and an emergency radio, and necessary medications.  The hospitals will be full of the sick and dying so avoid unnecessary trips to clinics for medical issues you can address yourself.  You should also be prepared to protect yourself as local law enforcement may be taxed beyond their ability to protect and serve.  Finally, listen for public health and safety announcements for inoculation information and other important advisories.

Your best defense is vigilance, so keep your eyes and ears open for signs of an outbreak.  You might look paranoid, but you’ll also be ahead of the game should terrorists strike.  And don’t forget that non-terrorist diseases such as SARS, H5N1, etc, can be just as deadly – the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 killed between 50 to 100 million people worldwide and had nothing to do with terrorism.