BREAKING: Anthrax case possible in VIRGINIA

AP Breaking ^ | 10/09/01

[captain11]

Wish I could buy Bayer stock. They make the Cipro antibiotics.

Wishing you could reap a little panic windfall, are you Doc?

[jokemoke]

Anthrax Vaccine Thread

[nevergore]

That fits on the head of a pin.....

NeverGore

[StayoutdaBushesWay]

Fox News just announced that the person in Virgina tested Negative for Anthrax.

[Godebert]

"Prince William Hospital in Manassas, Va., contacted the state health department with a possible anthrax diagnosis... "

Cripes.....I was in Manassas on Saturday. Oh the humanity.

[cgk]

If you can get a link, put it in "Breaking News". That's good to hear. I can rest a little easier now.

[angkor]

A friend works in the public safety profession in Northern VA. I'll post whatever I hear later this morning.

[ninonitti]

I personally think the trail leads to Saddam.

He's got my vote too....the way this is unfolding makes it seem to be a pan-arab attack on the West.

The increasing use of suicide bombers in Israel and now these same style attacks here along with this WMD attack have the hallmarks of a terrorist state backed attack.

So far the arabs haven't got the stones to come out as states and openly support this war-yet.

Look for something to tip them off the fence and start an all out attack on Israel next.

[Hugh Akston]

Instead of telling people what you think they're reaction should be, why don't you just share with the board whatever information you may have that seems to be keeping you so calm

The twin knowledges that I can't really do anything about it, and that becoming afriad is what the terrorists want me to do.

[angkor]

So far the arabs haven't got the stones to come out as states and openly support this war-yet.

Nor does our Congress have the stones to have formally declared war on Islamic terrorist groups.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

AND, the doctor STILL doesn't get paid for it (because he's "capitated")!

I know you understand. Patients and voters don't. It is such a pet peeve with me.

Regardless of what Hillary wanted the public to believe, the United States has the best medical care in the world. We always have. What Hillary wanted to do was control who received care, as well as when and how. Our health care delivery sucks, thanks to the HMO concept.

There is a reason the primary care physician is called the gatekeeper. He controls when his patient seeks the care of a specialist. The financial incentive in capitation is an incentive NOT to treat outside the "gate". Anytime he makes a referral, it affects his bottom line.

For example, Dr. X gets $100.00/month from HMO-A. His patient needs to see Specialist-B who charges $25.00. Guess where the $25.00 comes from? It comes from the $100.00 fee Dr. A receives. So, the more referrals Dr. A makes, the less money he makes.

As a result we find that Dr. A makes less referrals, waits longer to make needed referrals, and treats diseases and condtions better left to someone else.

HMO's have done nothing to reduce the cost of medicine. They have redistributed the profits. And for all of those who complained that something needed to be done to reign in the high cost of health care? Control unnecessary tests? Call off the attack dogs (litigation attorneys). It is their fault CYA medicine is practiced.

End of rant.

[rintense]

I have a dumb question. Can they use newspaper as a way to transport this thing? Meaning, can anyone who picks up one of those tabloids unknowingly expose themselves?

[sakic]

doesn't a Clintonite run these things? How long before the left is blaming Republicans?

Certainly you're blaming Democrats before they're blaming Republicans.

[Sandy]

If you haven't been exposed to middle eastern guys with powder coming from their mail, why are you so panicked?

He's not panicked. He's simply calling you on the literally deadly advice that you gave earlier in this thread. You said

"Just see your doctor if you get sick. No different than at any other time"

That is total bs. The fact of the matter is, once the symptoms appear (ie you "get sick"), it's too late--the toxin is already killing you, and taking antibiotics at that point isn't going to save you.

A person needs to begin antibiotics as soon after exposure as possible. Period.

[Sandy]

Note that the office workers down in Florida are now taking Cipro. Gee, and they're not even sick yet. :-P

[vetvetdoug]

A couple of years ago we had an outbreak of anthrax in cattle here. Penicillin treated most of them effectively. Unless the Anthrax is genetically engineered, why use a sledgehammer to swat a fly? (speaking of Cipro)

[ChemistCat]

It's my thought that the terrorists did not prepare this in a way that left spore particles fine enough to really penetrate the lungs. Thus they managed to sicken very few people. Perhaps they exposed hundreds and most did not get sufficient quantities of the spore to sicken them. Since this disease is not significantly contagious, we are in for a couple weeks of nervousness and then an end to these cases unless they are still working on the distribution problem. Umm, it might be wise if you're working in an office not to open mail too enthusiastically. WASH YOUR HANDS VERY CAREFULLY AND OFTEN!!!!!!!

We need to be thinking in terms of what a natural flu epidemic can do to this country at this point in time and act accordingly. Influenza experts have been predicting an especially dangerous flu season this year even without the events of 9/11. Tell your sick coworkers NOT TO COME TO WORK and keep sick kids at home. Our martyrish habit of going to work sick could literally endanger the lives of millions. FLU ISN'T JUST TWO WEEKS OF MISERY. IT HAS KILLED MORE PEOPLE IN HISTORY THAN ANY OTHER AIR-BORNE DISEASE. And I have a feeling that dying of wild-strain flu is just as miserable of dying of terrorist-spread anthrax.

[CJ Wolf]

Captain, I wouldn't be suprized if he really is a Doc. Given the state of medicine today. Don't Docs kill more people then handguns? Correct newbies but give them a break and no personal attacks!