It’s official. Country (UK) on alert for smallpox (serious, folks)

Northhampton Chronicle and Echo ^ | 12/04/02

[Heartlander2]

THE nation was today on alert for a smallpox attack, a fortnight after the Chronicle & Echo revealed the county's contingency plans to deal with the threat of biological warfare.

National newspapers yesterday seized on the story about a possible bio-terrorist strike as the Government gave details on plans to vaccinate health workers.

However, the Chron's revelations about undercover work which had already been undertaken at Northampton General Hospital appeared two weeks ago.

We exclusively reported how the hospital had appointed a nuclear, chemical and biological warfare “czar” to head off any attack.

Piers Massey, an accident and emergency nurse consultant, said he had already ordered 30 biological suits and a decontamination unit.

They look like props from a sci-fi film, but trust chiefs have been warned the threat of terror attacks, however minor, is real.

Last month a report by the National Audit Office revealed very few hospitals are as prepared as possible for a bio-terror attack.

However, weeks ago Northampton General Hospital had already drafted its action plan, notified staff and ordered in specialist kit.

Medical chiefs are now preparing for extensive staff training and the vaccination of “key medical staff” against smallpox amid fears the disease will be used as a weapon.

Chief medical officer, Professor Liam Donaldson, said: “The public should be reassured that we have a very effective plan in place should the worst happen. Part of this is ensuring that our first responders are vaccinated and protected."

Health minister John Hutton said he expected the first vaccinations of NHS staff to be completed by the end of next month. It is thought staff who do not wish to have the jab will not have to be vaccinated or forced to treat anyone suffering from a suspected smallpox attack. Public health officials are ordering in extra supplies of the vaccine but there are no plans for mass vaccination.

As things stand any outbreak would be ring-fenced, to stop it spreading, and treated by designated workers.

[Heartlander2]

Even though the Smallpox alert is low (Alert Level 0, whatever that means), it is an official alert. Another interesting thing I came across in The Guardian ...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,3604,852586,00.html

From the article linked to:

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you, as the saying goes. So who can put their hand on their heart and say that Nicola Horlick, the high-profile chief executive at SocGen Asset Management, was completely bonkers to send an email to her company's entire staff last week, with suggestions of where to buy gas masks and other high-tech biological warfare goods? Naturally, many staff assumed the email was a joke or prank of some sort. But no, it was a serious suggestion. Sadly, SGAM weren't returning calls on the subject yesterday, but as it happened news promptly broke of a smallpox alert, with the government announcing the setting up a national network of smallpox disaster centres. Perhaps Nicola knows something we don't?

[Heartlander2]

And the US is on alert, though not as officially (?)

From http://www.cbn.com/CBNNews/News/021125a.asp

The President says if an attack occurs, the nation is prepared.

"There's a real threat that somebody might smuggle in one of these weapons that would create incredible havoc here at home. So we're on alert. We're stockpiling enough smallpox vaccine for every man, woman and child in America," Bush said.

[BureaucratusMaximus]

[Grampa Dave]

If there is one case of Small Pox in the UK, Tony Blair should order the immediate thermo nuclear destruction of all of Iraq, Iran and Syria.

If one Opecker oil $ came from the Saudis to finance this case of small pox, Tony should then destroy every Saudi city and holy spot in Saudi Arabia.

Sharon to protect Israel should kill Arafatty and every known Islamofascist terrorist in his area.

Then all the nations can hunt and exterminate every mentally ill Islamokazi in the world before they harm anyone else.

[Physicist]

Once enough emergency workers are vaccinated and enough vaccine supplies are on hand, smallpox becomes null and void as a weapon against the West. While a smallpox outbreak would certainly be a major problem, it would probably not cause widespread death in the Western nations that are prepared to deal with it. It would, however, probably cause widespread death in the rest of the world, including the Muslim world.

I think that's the message we're trying to send, and if that message is properly received and understood, the bad guys won't even bother with the stuff. I like these sorts of stories, scary as they might be.

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

smallpox

That should probably read 'smallpox in the form we've seen it before'. Haven't there been newer, weaponized strains developed? Didn't Ken Alibek (the ex-Russian microbiologist) describe some of these strains? Perhaps the vaccine wouldn't work as well against these newer forms (or at all).

[jaime1959]

The headline is a crock. They're not on "alert" for a smallpox attack; they're just preparing for possible casualties from a terrorist attack, something most hospitals have or will be doing. My institution has already purchased 1000 PAPR units, tyvek suits, chemical protective suits, and a myriad of other PPE to protect healthcare workers in the event we receive casualties from a WMD attack (which is most likely to be chemical and localized, as opposed to biological and widespread). We've had this stuff since last spring.

[texasbluebell]

That should probably read 'smallpox in the form we've seen it before'. Haven't there been newer, weaponized strains developed? Didn't Ken Alibek (the ex-Russian microbiologist) describe some of these strains? Perhaps the vaccine wouldn't work as well against these newer forms (or at all).

Exactly. And that was what was being discussed last night, I think on Greta, not sure, about this resistant strain of it. That the vaccine won't stop it. So now what? What would they have us do? Is there any point to getting vaccinated now? I can't see it.

I've thought all along that Saddam would be a fool to release a strain that we could be treated for. He's not going to waste time doing that, if he has this other strain that will kill millions while we have no defense for it.

[Stevieboy]

Aren't we also on alert for radiological, nuke, chemical, suicide, truck-bomb, bridge attacks and apartment bombs? Jeepers creepers. The media needs a slap in the head.

[texasbluebell]

If I sound bitter, I am. My only consolation is that those in power through the 90s who allowed the situation to get to this point, are also susceptible to this new smallpox. Thank you, billnhill, for your service to this country.

[concerned about politics]

It would, however, probably cause widespread death in the rest of the world, including the Muslim world.

You've got a good point there, Physicist.

[concerned about politics]

If I sound bitter, I am. My only consolation is that those in power through the 90s who allowed the situation to get to this point, are also susceptible to this new smallpox. Thank you, billnhill, for your service to this country.

Yep. Absolutely!! Dittos!

[fivecatsandadog]

You're right. Someone posted a similar article yesterday with doomsday overtones. There is no credible threat. If there was, you can bet every media agency, including the internet, would be jammed to a standstill.

[ModelBreaker]

I agree, the "serious folks" headline is very very misleading. The poster should be more careful in the future.

[SCR1]

I always thought that the method and manner that the Anthrax was deployed was simply a WARNING to the US. If we didn't back off and out of the Mideast then they would really depoly it and then some. The mailing of Anthrax was not effective in the dispersion it but by mailing it to news outlets it was reported rather widely.

[Argus]

You beat me to it. The anthrax mailings seemed more like a test or probe than an actual attack (likelihood of success/casualties was low). There's no nastiness our enemies are incapable of, and the sooner and harder they are crushed the better. As Michael Ledeen always says, faster please.

[jaz.357]

If they send smallpox...we send them....LARGEPOX!!

[RepublicanHippy]

Haven't there been newer, weaponized strains developed?

I heard today on one of the news stations that there is the possibility that some female Russian scientist went to Iraq in the 70's to help with developing a weaponized strain of Smallpox. She went back to Iraq in the 1990's. They also said she died a couple years ago.

[calljack]

There is one called Blackpox.
You really don't want to know.

[The Sons of Liberty]

Give 'em hell, Grandpa!