Bioterrorism Watch Archives – October 1, 2007
October 1, 2007
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Shortage of mechanical vents seen for pandemic, airborne terrorism
A dire shortage of mechanical ventilators appears to be the weakest link in any emergency response to an airborne bioterrorism threat or pandemic influenza outbreak, a recently published study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found. -
Half of nurses may not report during pandemic
Nurses were more likely to report to work in the aftermath of a terrorist attack involving smallpox or a radiological release than face down pandemic influenza, researchers found. -
Oregon drill finds deadly germs may be put on hold
The standing gallows humor in health care epidemiology is that no really severe outbreak of anything begins until late Friday on a holiday weekend. But emergency planners in Oregon were not laughing after finding that too many local health departments a key component in the state response system were unavailable when contacted after hours about emergency transport of a possible pandemic flu isolate for testing at the state reference lab. -
Oregon develops transport policy after drill shows gaps
In response to a drill that showed gaps in planning and communication regarding the transportation of potentially infectious agents, Oregon public health officials have adopted new policies, which were originally developed by public health officials in Lane County, OR. The policy is summarized as follows: -
Infections, bioterror a growing global threat
More than at any previous time in history, global public health security depends on international cooperation and the willingness of all countries to meet the threat of rapidly emerging infectious diseases and acts of bioterrorism, the World Health Organization emphasizes in a new report.