Although public health preparedness has improved since the 2001 anthrax
attacks, more work is necessary to ensure our safety in the event of another
attack. A framework or guide for an effective response needs to be created
that includes preventive strategies for individuals, households, communities
and states. Certain organizations have begun preparing this framework since
the 2001 attacks.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is one of the agencies
responsible for making sure we are prepared in the event of another attack.
According to a CDC report these are ways in which the CDC has changed its
operations since the fall of 2001 to improve preparedness:
| » | Terrorism response capacity is being
integrated into existing infrastructures, further strengthening the
foundation of public health.
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| » | The anthrax cases highlighted the importance of the “golden
triangle” of response between clinicians and clinical microbiologists,
the health-care delivery system, and public health officials. Steps
have been taken to strengthen these and other critical linkages, including
those between professionals in the human, veterinary, and public health
communities and between the public health, law enforcement, and emergency
response systems.
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| » | DHHS has made available through CDC more than $918 million
for state and local health departments to enhance their terrorism preparedness
programs. These funds are intended to strengthen capacity to respond
to bioterrorism, other infectious disease emergencies, and other urgent
public health threats.
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| » | Existing programs that proved invaluable during the
events of last fall, such as the Laboratory Response Network for Bioterrorism
(LRN) and the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile (NPS) have also been
strengthened.
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| » | The number of these specialty laboratories participating
in the Laboratory Response Network for Bioterrorism network has now
increased to more than 100, with at least one in each state, enabling
widespread testing for microbes that might be used in a terrorist attack.
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| » | The NPS has also been expanded to include additional
medical supplies and personnel. State and local agencies are implementing
measures to ensure the successful transport and delivery of these critical
components of effective response.
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| » | CDC has established rapid response teams composed of
individuals with expertise in field operations, epidemiology, microbiology,
data management, and communications. These individuals have received
training to enable immediate deployment to affected areas to assist
state and local efforts.
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| » | The Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS), CDC’s
long-standing disease investigation training program for epidemiologists,
is receiving specialized field training to respond to terrorist attacks
that might involve the intentional release of toxic chemicals or the
spread of infectious agents.
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| » | CDC will continue to work with partners in clinical
medicine and public health to provide training for health-care providers
and microbiologists and to seek innovative ways to disseminate information
to the public. |
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