Anthrax in NY

[laraver]

You guys need to worry about these assholes getting their hands on weaponized smallpox.

Anthrax is a bacteria, treatable with antibiotics.

Smallpox is a virus, treatable only through vaccination. Less lethal forms have a 30% mortality rate, more lethal forms have a 96% mortaility rate. The incubation period is 12-14 days before symptoms appear.

Smallpox is highly contagious. It can have a transmission ratio as high as 1:15. That means that for every person infected initially another 15 can be infected through contact with that person.

The British gave North American Indians blankets from people who died of smallpox in a crude, but highly effective form of germ warfare in colonial times. The Inca, Mayans and Aztecs were devistated by this disease that was brought to them from the Spanish conquistadors.

The US stopped vaccinating the general population in 1977. The military continued giving shots until some time in the 1990's. The immunization has provides immunity for 5-10 years in most cases.

That means that the majority of the population in the continental US HAS NO PROTECTION! You cannot go to your doctor currently get a smallpox booster. I know, I tried!

The vaccine is not available to the US general population at this time. If anyone knows where to get a booster I would greatly appreciate the info.

[Rad_Z]

SHit, laraver is totally right!

There are some other forms of bio-chemical attack besides Anthrax. Smallpox is one of them, and i think there are a few more, that are not widely known about or exploited by the media (as anthrax is these days).

Rad_

[n30]

Originally posted by sweetfun

USA wants to scare everyone...Yes the story is true, but I am sick of him, only posting negative shit and nothing about music or clubbing, we can all read and watch the news so stop posting it here.

hehe awww....

[rachel8c]

I doubt I have it. Who knows? I was working. After I had some belini's with my boyfriend on the top of the building.

I hope I am ok.

[sweetfun]

Well, he has only posted 7 times but that is enough for me.

[bigpoppanils]

avoid arabs????????

idiot.......

[keyies]

Someone should report usa to the FBI - he's suspicious....

[laraver]

FYI PEOPLE SMALLPOX INFO

Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson said last week the government hopes to have 40 million fresh doses of smallpox vaccine by next summer, well ahead of the original deadline of 2004. Acambis, a B ritish firm, will speed up its 20-year, $343 million program to replenish the U.S. supply. About 15 million doses of the old vaccine remain from the 1970s.

Smallpox was eradicated in 1977, and routine vaccinations ceased in 1980.

However, the Russians produced tons of smallpox for their bioweapons program in the 1980s, and some experts fear some of it may have escaped, perhaps to other countries that make biological weapons.

About half of Americans alive today were vaccinated against smallpox, but the

protection wears off. Dr. D.A. Henderson, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Civilian Biodefense Studies, estimates that only 10 percent to 20 percent of them still have immunity against smallpox.

Acambis' new vaccine will be grown in cell cultures and will be much purer than the original version, derived from the pus of infected cows. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention plans to store it at guarded warehouses around the

country, to be shipped off quickly after an attack to keep the highly contagious and untreatable virus from spreading.

The plan: Quarantine areas where smallpox is seen, then vaccinate everyone who lives around them. Nine million doses of vaccine would be needed to contain an outbreak that begins with just 100 infected people.

The logistics are daunting, especially if people are infected in several cities. In 1947,

it took a week to vaccinate 6 million people in New York City in response to an outbreak of eight cases.

So why not inoculate everyone as soon as a vaccine is available?

"It has to be re-examined. I am certainly beginning to think that may be a reasonable approach," says Dr. Ronald Atlas of the University of Louisville, president-elect of the American Society for Microbiology.

However, many specialists are dubious, including Henderson, who headed the global smallpox eradication campaign. Two years ago, he led a committee of government and academic specialists who rejected the idea, and that conclusion still

stands.

The answer is definitely no," says Henderson.

The main reason is the vaccine's safety. When smallpox was a true health hazard, those risks were small in comparison. But the equation changes when the threat cannot be measured. Experts contend that even a few hundred deaths or serious

complications that are vaccine-related would be considered unacceptable.

About 3 in every 1 million people vaccinated would get encephalitis that may lead to death or permanent neurological damage, experts estimate.

Another 250 would get a smallpox-like rash caused by vaccinia, the usually harmless virus used for the vaccine. The rash could be fatal if not treated.

People with weakened immune systems -- cancer and transplant patients, those taking high-dose steroids and people with AIDS -- could be especially susceptible.

Even if left unvaccinated, they might catch vaccinia from those who are vaccinated.

[guestlisted]

That is some scary shit, smallpox, dont even want to think about it.

It s not treatable, unless vaccinated early:( Oh fawk.

[wildangel]

If it's on the skin, then theres nothing to worry about.

I had to do this stupid project on anthrax in high school using my mom's medical texts (shes a physician).

There are 2 types of anthrax. The kind on the skin is not the kind that is breathed in. The kind on the skin gives you a really disgusting deep cyst that eventually does heal. The cyst doesn't hurt, it's just ugly. The kind of anthrax that attacks the skin CANNOT become the kind that is in the air.

Its like herpes. There are two species, and one can not become the other. I'm still not convinced that this is germ terrorism yet, because the skin anthrax is not fatal.

Don't get all paranoid worrying about it, you'll be fine.

[heretic909]

Originally posted by sweetfun

Well, he has only posted 7 times but that is enough for me.

Yeah, I'm sick of usa's shit already, too.

[finea]

The whole thing is weird. I was in the NBC building five minutes before finding out about the woman there. I work in Rockerfeller Center, yet I was more nervous about the anthrax in Florida than I am here. I think my family and friends are more nervous about me being here, than I am about me actually being here. Strange. Are we all a bit numb to the whole thing now? Also, I heard that the envelope that infected the woman here was addressed to Peter Jennings and that the woman was his assistant. I find that strangely humorous. Who could dislike Peter Jennings? He seems like such a good guy... Anyway, whatever happens, happens. Can't be afraid or change our lives cause some asshole puts white powder in the mail. I just wouldn't want to work in a mail room anywhere (sorry if anyone does...).

[foxyroxy20]

Originally posted by misk

IN OTHER WORDS not an act of TERRORISM!!! do u really think that a terrorist organization would waste their time on small numbers~NO SORRY! ask anyone in law or government....

Yeah they might not waste their time on smaller numbers, but u never know god forbid how many ppl could have it. Look so far 4 ppl have anthrax (3 cases in fl- 1 in nyc) Since its flu like symptoms its real easy to mistake it for a flu. I really do believe its an act of terrorism. There hasn't been a case of anthrax for about 25 years , now all of a sudden their appearing. I really hope there won't be anymore cases, but its reality its happening and be careful. Dont open any unfamiliar envelopes.

Just my thoughts.

[junyahsboy]

of course we're all thinking it:

whats the liklihood of someone spreading such shit through a club. i mean, its a nice enclosed space of thousands of people. earth saw 10,000 last weekend, according to the NY Post. imagine releasing airborne anthrax in such a space.

ok, yeah its terrible to bring that up.

my assumption is that we, as a group (clubbers, that is), are not exactly the kind of strategically targeted group that terrorists would love to hit. i mean, why hit a bunch of cracked out dancers when you could go for the media, like they did? (dont jump all over that...i know; we're not all cracked out!)

just thinking & rationalizing...

[misk]

Originally posted by foxyroxy20

Yeah they might not waste their time on smaller numbers, but u never know god forbid how many ppl could have it. Look so far 4 ppl have anthrax (3 cases in fl- 1 in nyc) Since its flu like symptoms its real easy to mistake it for a flu. I really do believe its an act of terrorism. There hasn't been a case of anthrax for about 25 years , now all of a sudden their appearing. I really hope there won't be anymore cases, but its reality its happening and be careful. Dont open any unfamiliar envelopes.

Just my thoughts.

i agree with u....there are lots of possibilities and nothing can be ruled out!! terrorism..some sick assholes taking advantage of the situation! who knows and it is scary! now all my friends are buggin and don't want to go to the city this weekend...what do u guys think of that? is there reason to be that scared and stay home?

btw..roxy~i love your sig.!!!

[foxyroxy20]

Originally posted by misk

i agree with u....there are lots of possibilities and nothing can be ruled out!! terrorism..some sick assholes taking advantage of the situation! who knows and it is scary! now all my friends are buggin and don't want to go to the city this weekend...what do u guys think of that? is there reason to be that scared and stay home?

btw..roxy~i love your sig.!!!

thanks...

well am scared myself to go to the city this weekend...but am actualy scared on the weekdays more cause i work right downtown and since fbi said they got info that there will be more terror attacks...so am scared but i try not to think of it...but am not gonna lie over here and act like everything is okay...cuz its not...i haven't been the same since wtc attack, i've been thinking of whats gonna happen,etc. But life must go on...so am still doing the things i like, want, etc...but with caution.