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Thursday, 18 October, 2001, 09:15 GMT 10:15 UK
Anthrax cases: How concerned are you?
Your comments:
Click here to go back.
Anna, USA
I live and work in Manhattan and have not seen one gas mask or heard of one friend trying to get Cipro. As normal, it is a case of Europeans overreacting to what they think is Americans overreacting. In a nation of 270 million, a few thousand people overreacting does not a "national panic" make.
I saw an interesting poll today asking if people were scared to open their mail. About 90% of US population said No. I think this speaks for itself. Personally, I think the best way to fight terrorism is to turn the TV off, and stop all the publicity we're giving it. The only thing in jeopardy may be common sense and logic, but I think the majority of the public is keeping a rational mind.
Anthrax doesn't scare me nearly as much as ignorant people who actually think that the U.S. government would conspire to spread disease in its own populace. Naive and overconfident the US government sometimes is; suicidal, never.
Paul, USA
It seems that many people are missing the point - sure, Anthrax is a particularly crude and ineffective method of warfare, but it is an incredibly effective method of terrorising people. One wonders if it seems to fit the bill for terrorism well, with few casualties but maximum news coverage and public fear.
A few days ago I spent well over two hours contacting various government agencies for advice on the safe handling of suspect packages that appear to contain powdery substances (as opposed to conventional threats, like razor blades or small explosives). Nobody knew what to tell me, and this shook my confidence in our government a little. I think the biggest threat is not anthrax, but disruptive hoaxes, which cause unnecessary evacuations, lower morale and damage stability.
The press have created this hysteria about the attacks when they should be providing a public service in educating the public. Let's hope the general population have a similar outlook to the majority of level-headed individuals in this commenting here.
I'm concerned enough by the recent anthrax "attacks" on the Congress that I have cancelled my participation in the US Marine Corps Marathon (28 October).
If "those chaps" have weapon-grade Anthrax that they are sending via the mail, then I'm sure they won't hesitate to try to infect thousands at such a visible and important marathon. I mean, how can police here possibly protect participants and spectators (more than 100.000 of them) from something that cannot easily be seen or identified? Can the authorities treat thousands at one time? It's just too scary to think about.
Faye, USA
Anthrax scare? Ya right. I live in New York City, I eye witnessed the falling of TWC, some of my friends lost family members. Both our local firehouse and police station lost people. After all that we have been through I am going to let some powder scare the heck out of me? Maybe the media people are scared, but not us. None of my colleagues and friends are buying masks, or stocking up anti-biotics. I pay more attention to my mail, that is all. Life goes on. Last weekend I drove up to Vermont to see the gloriously beautiful foliage. Let OBL and his gang hide in caves, I am enjoying life the way I always do.
Alex, France
As a resident of Boston, I was able to distance myself from the terror of Sept. 11th enough to function and continue on with my life - as the politicians urged. However, this new threat of anthrax is insidious in its invisible potential to kill. It is the result of nothing but pure evil intentions. I am hardly a supporter of war, and my heart breaks to think of the devastation of Afghanistan, but I urge listeners from around the world to consider the enormous number of innocents threatened by those who perpetrated Sept. 11th and the anthrax scares. War is ugly, but I support it wholeheartedly to protect me, my family, and my country.
As long as I don't get bitten by Bush or Blair, I should be OK
Odd cases of anthrax are more an irritant than a problem. However, President Bush and Prime Minister Blair need to make it clear that the use of weaponries anthrax - which apparently is what was sent to the Senate Majority Leader - will be considered use of weapons of mass destruction and will be dealt with accordingly as soon as we identify the source.
I am very concerned. Concerned that this is just one more method the terrorist groups will begin using more and more to disrupt life in civilized societies around the world. I am also concerned that when a link between the growing number of Anthrax cases and the various terrorist groups associated with Bin Laden is found, a large element in our society will still call for peaceful negotiation and understanding. What a joke!
The people that have perpetrated this crime can now sit back and watch human nature propagate fear. There is no need for them to spread any more anthrax, in the US or anywhere else in the world. Just the fears of hysterical people (fuelled by the media) means that these attacks are causing panic worldwide. Quite an effective strategy on the offenders part really!
Melinda Joy, USA
If anthrax was not present in the US before these recent events, and this anthrax is "weapon-grade" perhaps even created by a foreign government, how did it find its way to a post office in a small town in New Jersey in the first place?
Okay, a quick quiz: which of the following is the terrorist? a) A gene tech company that wants to profit from cloning humans b) A group of rich governments that suppress dissent using tanks and riot police c) A corporation that sues farmers for growing gene-tech crops that cross pollinated on the breeze d) An individual that sends anthrax spores anonymously through the mail?
To be honest, they all scare the hell out of me.
I am not worried about the threat of Anthrax at this current time. However, if you think about it whomever is responsible for this current "terror" attack has been quite successful. It has caused panic, shut down the US Capital, and created a large workload for local and federal police, hazmat, and medical agencies. The bright side to all of this is that our government is getting on the ball and realizing that other possible biowarfare incidents may occur. Smallpox, for example could cause a great deal of death and destruction. I must say that this current attack could easily have been planned by Al Qaeda. The whole purpose of their organization is to affect the thinkers and doers, and to create national panic. I would say these goals are being met with little to no effort on their part.
Mike, USA
The thought of Anthrax infection never bothered me when I worked on a farm. That¿s usually where you are likely to get it. I would be more concerned if someone was tossing about smallpox, Q-fever, yellow fever,
or infecting water systems with live organisms.
Having done a generally professional job of reporting on the September11 tragedy, the US media are at their best again with the anthrax stories."Scaremongering" at it's best. NOBODY I know is talking about this never mind panicking. We are all too bothered with the state of business, keeping jobs, and living our lives are normally as is possible. The only panic is the reported panic as wished for and perceived by the US media. This is what terrorists do - so who is surprised; you know what, maybe I am underestimating the government - perhaps all the media hype is to make the terrorists(whoever they are) think we are panicking!
The perpetrators of these mailings appear to be targeting media outlets and congress, neither of which I am in. It would appear that the perpetrators' targets are specifically for the purpose of raising alarm, not inflicting mass deaths. Therefore, at this time, I am offended, but not alarmed.
I am not terribly concerned with anthrax, the frenzy over which has been generated by a media "feeding frenzy". However, I am deeply concerned that this was a dress rehearsal for a devastating smallpox attack, for which The U.S. is not prepared.
Chris Johnson, USA I believe that this anthrax panic is mostly media hype. If al-Qaeda were involved, they would have proudly admitted it by now. However, no-one should be complacent. If Al-Qaeda are responsible then the US should hit back with all the strength the country can gather.
In reply to Rich: Unfortunately the people who would pass laws to deal with gun control are the very people that are being targeted by the anthrax attack. So they are more likely to deal with the imminent possibility of death then gun laws.
How many die from handguns in the US? I think that is a bigger disease your country must tackle.
1) Between 1944 and 1994, there have been 224 reported incidents of cutaneous anthrax infection, resulting in approximately 4 -5 per year. 2) There have been 0 reports of inhalation anthrax infections since 1976, making even one report of it suspicious. 3) The normal method of infection is not believed to be receiving an envelope with the spore in it. Normally it is from contact with herbivorous domesticated animals, which have eaten, or otherwise been in contact with the spore (sheep being the most common, due to their coat retaining the spore)
So as you can see, the recent events are cause for some concern, as someone is going out of their way to infect individuals. Should this translate into a scare? Should we all go out and stock up on gas masks and Cipro? I don't think so. Many attribute the scare to the media, and playing it up for a good story. But the media is just an animal that feeds on the fears of the people. And what makes people more scared than not knowing about something. The problem is in the people. People need to learn how to educate themselves on something, before flying into a frenzy about a subject. Rarely is there such a lack of time to prohibit such research.
I do not believe there is terrorist anthrax attack. How many cases of anthrax were there before September 11? This is just propaganda to make people support the war effort. Maybe it is some clever idea of the public relations office for the Ministry of Defence.
Elizabeth, USA I think most of the panic stems from the US claim that one tiny vial of Anthrax can destroy a whole city. I don't know if that was justification to bomb Iraq, or if it was true, either way, when someone says Anthrax, that's what they remember.
Pauline, US
It's a desperate attempt to make people afraid. Cowards that will not face you man to man will never intimidate logical red-blooded Americans.
Am I worried about being hit by a terrorist anthrax attack? Not at all. I work in a school, where I'm more concerned about a maniac spraying the classrooms with a machine gun.
I don't think we should worry too much about anthrax, it's the airborne biological threats we need to worry about. The threat of anthrax only seems apparent in creating a state of paranoia, where you need rubber gloves and a gas mask just to open your post.
Dan, Canada
There are antibiotics for anthrax. In 1918, there was a terrible influenza epidemic. When it hit (and killed millions, world-wide), there was no medicine to cure it.
In the past two weeks in the US: Anthrax Deaths = 1. Flu and pneumonia deaths = 1,300. Enough said.
My dad is a pathologist, and he doesn't seem worried about anthrax. It's the word, not the disease itself that scares people.
Massimo, USA/Italy
I was also wondering about these anthrax cases. What worries me is that for a terrorist to write a warning in the letter containing anthrax for the receiver to seek medical attention makes absolutely no sense. I might be paranoid but it really does make me suspicious especially at a time when some governments need to drum up support for their actions elsewhere which are not exactly popular. That is of course, wild speculation, but I don't like the look of things.
I don't know anyone who's particularly frightened. I am a lot less nervous about anthrax now that it has been publicly recognized as a health threat and public health is finally getting the attention it has long needed. What does frighten me is the future potential of bio-terrorist R&D. The issue of drug resistance has still not penetrated the 'circle of ignorance', and the spectre of a highly infectious agent deliberately cultivated to be antibiotic resistant scares the dickens out of me. Terrorists are as subject to 'the law of unintended consequences' as are the rest of mankind, and they could unleash something far beyond even their ken.
Call me a conspiracy theorist, whatever you like. I have no concerns about Anthrax because it isn't the 'deadly strain'. In my opinion this has all been planned and planted by the F.B.I. If they wanted to plant Anthrax they would plant the more deadly strain that kills 90% of persons who contract it. Remember, the USA wants a war and it is good for the economy. Just look at history. WW2 could have been over in 3 months if they wanted. The FBI killed their own President - so a few members of the public won't mean much to them. And by the way I have spoken to a number of people who are suspicious about the government and all of this war.
"Can governments ever adequately prepare for such terror?" - when another headline today reports that UK customs have seized 500 kg of cocaine near Southend, I'd have to conclude that, no, the evidence of the last 30 years suggests that governments stand no chance at all of preventing the unlawful distribution of white powder, be it anthrax or anything else that someone is sufficiently determined to distribute. And it would be nice if they could be honest enough to admit it.
Nonetheless, although the situation is uncomfortable, I'm not going to lock myself in my house, away from anthrax, aircraft, muggers, cars, and every other widely publicised hazard only to die in a bizarre accident involving soap, irons, washing machines, socks, or anything else that kills a small number of people every year. I've got a life to get on with living.
Gary, UK
Concerned? No.
The main effect of biological weapons in a modern country is psychological, not physical. The psychological effect can be removed by having a bit of knowledge and a bit of backbone.
The anthrax attacks are nothing but a publicity stunt by the coalition governments to stage further bombing missions on Iraq.
One could almost put their mortgage on it.
I fear for my planet and my sanity.
I'm less concerned about getting a package of anthrax through the mail than I am with the amount of plastic, in the form of CDs from internet companies, that I constantly receive. This is the stuff that's going to end up killing us all. Will the coalition against terrorism be attacking the home of these environmental terrorists?
Last month it was "are you now scared of flying", this month is "are you scared of anthrax" - what is next month going to be - "are you scared of sleeping in the dark"?!.
The media are creating the panic, not the terrorists.
It seems that the Anthrax threat is only really of a major concern to Americans at the moment. All the cases here have been hoaxes as far as I'm aware. However, should real cases of Anthrax arise in this country, I'm in no doubt that I would be far more concerned. But panic helps no one and I think that wearing a gas mask all the time is going a bit too far. I'd rather take my chances and go on living my life normally. That's not to say I feel completely safe though.
I don't believe anybody in this country is panicking yet, certainly not in the Midlands where I live. But continued irresponsible media reporting could well change unease into a panic! In the unlikely event of a serious anthrax attack, I feel the current government would deal with it in the same shambolic way they handled the foot-and-mouth disease.
I think the media have a lot to answer for, as usual. It is a small number of people who have Anthrax. Surely if the terrorists had a way to release it on a mass scale they would have done so by now. I am sick and tired of all the scaremongers, who include lots of people I know, I am sorry to say. Live your life, be free - I am!
I was initially panicked by the threat of widespread bio-terrorist attack, but from reading up on all the links, have realised my fears are unfounded. Even IF there were to be hundreds of people infected with the bio-terrorist's disease of choice, I have faith in the other countries that would help out in case of a wide-scale emergency, who would provide practical help as much as possible.
I also read that if a big attack happened, quarantine within our own homes would be likely, from 1-3 weeks, and that if concerned, we should act in the same way as we might when preparing for a flood - ensure you have supplies of candles, batteries, matches, tinned food etc and can basically be self-sufficient for this time. Not sure if that helps, but it was some small comfort to me!
As we know which countries have stocks of Anthrax, why not request a sample from each country. If the sample matches that found in the US then we will know who supplied it to the terrorist(s). It may also narrow down the search for the person(s) responsible. Those countries that refuse will admit their guilt in aiding terrorism.
We used to be famous in this country for our stiff upper lip in times of crisis. It would seem that the country's collective bottle has gone, if so then the terrorist have already won.
Get a grip, live your life and stop worrying about what-ifs.
Phil H, UK
Life should carry on as normal regardless of the current circumstances. The media is milking the situation and it is causing more harm than good. Let's keep our rational minds on our shoulders and combat this situation by being fearless but wise.
The question is, can governments ever adequately prepare for such terror? The answer is yes, by not selling weapons of all kinds to anyone and sundry in the first place. The root cause of this is greed, and the Labour government is just as culpable as the previous lot. Will they never learn? It would only be just if the fat cats of the arms industry were to receive their share of 'white powder'.
Mikes Duddy, UK
Concerned??
Yes, I am concerned. Here in Perth there were over 40 hoax calls yesterday. We need to treat the people who do the hoaxes the same as the real terrorists. They are putting our emergency services under severe stress.
Wake up, our emergency services could be getting an honest call from you and you should pray they are not too busy dealing with the hoaxes.
Tony Blair and the British media are responsible for the mood in the UK and for scare mongering. No hint of any kind of an attack on the United Kingdom has been made by anybody. Yes we must be vigilant but all of this constant attention to 11 cases of Anthrax in the States is leading to the British society living in a state of unnecessary paranoia. Britain stands shoulder to shoulder with America at this time but this does not mean it is as vulnerable as the states. The USA has to deal with internal factions as well as fear from the outside.
I am not worried about the threat, but there seems to have been a lot of copycat attacks. There are a lot of sick people out there.
Les, UK It seems that anthrax is a weapon of very limited impact, so I am not terribly worried about it. I've read reports that the effective range of particle size is between one and five microns with 8,000 to 10,000 spores embedded in each particle. Such a narrow specification requires a great deal of expertise and state-of-the-art facilities. This is no "basement brew" we are dealing with, but the product of someone perhaps endorsed and funded by a government. I'm not that worried about anthrax. The information widely available at the PHLS web site is in line with my previous understanding that it isn't contagious and is hard to weaponise anyway. What does concern me is that if I do come down with a deliberately released disease of some other nature it will take a week to see a doctor, who will then tell me to take an aspirin and lie down for a couple of days.
I am convinced that in the next few days a link from Saddam Hussein to the anthrax attacks will be concocted.
And the next step will be (as usual) the bombing of Iraq.
Hello World War Three; goodbye my blue planet!
This 'scare' seems to be going on and on. The number of victims is mounting rapidly, and no one seems to be safe. The media, politicians - the list goes on.
I'm becoming more and more afraid. The worst thing is that there seems to be no effective defence against this sort of weapon. We can only wait and hope.
Anthrax has been the favourite, but ineffective, military bio-weapon, because it is not contagious. It is therefore not a terror weapon.
So who is responsible?
Well, I live only a few miles away from the Trenton Post Office where the letters to NBC and Tom Daschle were mailed from. Most of the mail I receive daily comes thru this post office. Not only that, but I am a merchandiser, handling the Star, Enquirer, and Sun tabloids daily. Am I afraid? No. Watchful, yes. The vast majority of people in my area are not in a panic, either.
It may surprise people to know but there was an outbreak of anthrax in England during the 1939-1945 war. I can just remember animals being destroyed in the fields and put into quicklime pits. Some thought the Germans had dropped it but it proved unlikely. There was no panic; people were more worried about bombing and the threat of invasion.
Speaking as an American, I feel very safe. Only a very small number of people so far have contracted the disease, but many British people are being misled into thinking that there is an "Anthrax Horror" in America by the tabloid press. This may be keeping British visitors from America, which is ruining the travel industry in boom areas like Florida and California. Businesses are being ruined for no reason. I can't emphasise most strongly that America is a very safe place to be, and there is no danger. The government is taking great action to prevent more damage, and so nobody should feel in any way nervous about being in America.
Mervin W Coupe, UK I'm not worried about the current form of Anthrax terrorism. It appears they are somewhat disorganized and have not thought the attacks out. This seems very unlike al-Qaeda. However, don't put it past Bin Laden and friends to attempt such an attack in the future, it would likely be far more lethal. If they do, we should make sure they know our government will retaliate with nuclear weapons on whatever countries we determine those responsible are from.
Since I have doubts about the 'terrorists signature' in those letters, I have no difficulty living my life as I used to before the Anthrax attack. I don't feel comfortable anymore blaming Islamic terrorists for every act of evil which takes place in the US. Recently, ninety pro-abortion facilities have received threatening letters with white substance. We all know about the abortion clinic bombings and assassinations of doctors performing those abortions. And we all know those guys weren't from Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan. Sooner or later they will end up in jail or on death row, I'm just sorry for their victims.
I'm not overly concerned yet. The form of Anthrax delivery being used is not very effective, and can be easily treated. My main concern is the sick people in this country capable of "copycat" crimes, and the fact that news services are airing alternative means of delivery that are truly lethal. Why do news reporters think it is in the best interest of the public to show alternative methods of mass murder? Is this kind of reporting in the best interest of the public, or is it generating "hooked" viewers and advertising revenue?
N, Washington DC, USA
People are hysterically scurrying to say that there is no hysteria. The use of anthrax is not biological warfare. It is psychological warfare.
I left my dentist's office yesterday because there was an anthrax scare. What makes me angry is that this is most likely being done by individuals who are sick and have nothing better to do than try to get a thrill terrorizing others.
It seems that the terrorists have help from our media in spreading the terror they started.
I like to be kept informed of any potential danger, and how to fight it. But with the media pounding at you all day long with sensational titles, I can't blame anyone for finally giving in and feeling scared.
Andrew Lorek, USA This whole anthrax ordeal has proved to be little more than an annoyance to the US. Life continues here, the economy continues to flourish. Spending habits have not changed. My wife and I are in the market for new cars, and family members are taking vacations overseas. Americans are a tougher breed than you thought Mr Bin Laden!
As usual everyone seems to have checked their sense of perspective at the door. With 20,000 annual flu deaths in the US alone - and the recent arrival of drug-resistant TB strains from Russia - isolated cases of anthrax exposure should be the least of our worries.
Karen, US
Is there anthrax panic in the US? I can honestly say no. I think most people realize that there is a higher chance of perishing from a car accident than by the current method of bio-terrorism. And speaking as a molecular biology researcher, current method does not require sophisticated laboratories, just some cheap home set up. Now, if one was to send a contagious biological weapon, my answer would be completely different. And unfortunately, I don't see any way of preventing the spread of this more harmful form of bio-terrorism - we currently don't even have the tools to quickly identify biological threats in the field.
Vlad, UK
I'm not certain about everything that is being reported throughout the world. However I have seen no first hand knowledge of mass hysteria as such. We are aware of it, yes, but our lives have continued, for many with little or no change.
Public health authorities have done a great job responding to anthrax. It is important to remember, however, that the current scare is clearly designed for high visibility and creating panic, not lethality. The message in these white-powder letters lies with their recipients rather than their contents. Were an attack designed to expose a large number of people, it would be a different experience.
While health officials have done a splendid job, the media has not covered biologic warfare well. There is a need for independent reporting. I believe that the public is not informed about issues like the fact that many strains of anthrax are resistant to antibiotics and while there may be a vaccine, it is relatively ineffective, untested in humans and probably too scarce to matter. I understand the need to prevent panic, but the authorities are not portraying the full picture and the media are not challenging the facts. People have a right to know what they are facing.
I'm not concerned about the anthrax cases. As someone pointed out it's not like it's the plague going around. This is a disease that can almost always be treated with antibiotics successfully. I think the media are making too big a deal out of this. Yes, I'm sure it is scary for people who are directly affected by this, but it seems to be that people are going overboard.
Toni, USA
Some interesting statistics I came across yesterday. The number of transport related deaths in the US in 2000 were 44,186. Deaths so far from anthrax, one!
I live literally right down the street from a national weapons facility and I have never felt threatened or afraid, other than September 11. The military has been trying to tell the government the dangers and realities of biological warfare for along time. During the last administration, the closing of military bases around the world was more important than pursuing preparedness for bio warfare.
Right now, the petty squabbling of how whether we, the US, is right in going after bin Laden is not what we should be focused on. Whether we like it or not we are in this fight together and we must all stand together against this evil before it grows any further.
It seems to me that the biggest manufacturer of bio and chemical weapons, the US, is at least partly to blame for the latest cases. They themselves have refused to reduce the stockpiles, which dwarf the rest of the world put together. With so much bio stuff in secret labs, there is always the possibility of someone stealing some, or a terrorist getting some by force.
And, who knows what America tests in Africans in the Congo and in Afghanistan away from the medias' eye?
Carl Osborne, USA
As far as anthrax is concerned I am not overly concerned at this stage.
What concerns me is that we are constantly being reminded of the expense and difficulty of producing the virus, and also that is non-contagious and treatable, and if this is the case surely the madmen will not limit themselves to a relatively tame form of bio-terrorism. One chap suggested they might use pneumonic plague, and that would be nasty.
No longer can we console ourselves with the idea that there is an extent to which even terrorists would not reach.
In 1938 Orson Welles did a radio show in the USA called 'War of the Worlds'.
Over 100,000 Americans ran into the streets in panic believing that they have been invaded by 'Martians'. That is the problem with the USA. They panic too easily!
Yes, I'm concerned that Western governments imagine they can win against terrorists when all the indications are the opposite. By definition, terrorists aim to spread terror. They seem to be winning both the psychological and propaganda wars. Our strategy must include dealing with the causes of terrorism.
Bombing Libya, Sudan, Iraq and Afghanistan simply exacerbates the problem. The attacks on the US have been portrayed as a wake-up call. Sadly, America still doesn't seem to have got the message.
Jinty, UK I think the simplicity and inability to trace these attacks demonstrate that we cannot win this war until both the number of terrorists and their motivation are reduced. My fear is that by killing innocent civilians in Afghanistan, we are in fact increasing both of these, permanently, and that anthrax is only a mild taste of what's to come.
Perhaps when institutions across the street from you begin evacuations because of anthrax scares, you will be more concerned. A school in my area has cancelled classes until a letter can be tested for anthrax. Would you be concerned if your children faced anthrax testing?
Those who insist that Anthrax can only be manufactured in a high tech facility, and use this as a basis for conspiracy theories against the USA are either misguided or deliberately generating misinformation.
Anthrax can be cultured by any competent doctor or graduate biologist using information freely available in any decent public library, with a few hundred dollars of easily obtainable equipment. The crude method of distribution supports such a "bathroom laboratory" operation.
Anthony Emery, England
We know for sure that there are extremely dangerous consequences of NBC, Nuclear, chemical and biological, warfare. However, it looks as if the US citizens have to temporarily face the consequences of this sheer madness at the hands of some evildoers. All the same, there is a limit to the patience of any country and we hope that there are no retaliatory NBC attacks by the US on the countries suspected of transmitting Anthrax. Terrorists should better watch out that they are equally vulnerable if the US decides to go for a 'tit for tat' action.
I'm more concerned about the fact that the media are revealing far too many details. As stated by a doctor from the Public Health Laboratory Service, for whom I have worked, giving out information about the type of antibiotics being ordered is giving terrorists a recipe to develop a new, more resistant strain.
Sensible reporting could help calm public panic too - papers giving details of how to seal up your home are scare mongering to a ridiculous degree.
This is terrorism at its most basic -the indiscriminate targeting of an entire population. It has changed the rules of the game. The main thing now is not to give in to fear and accept any demands. And remember, it is a game that two can play. We must prevent some sick lunatic in a target country from similarly targeting innocent individuals and institutions.
Helen W, London, UK
I agree with Helen. I was feeling pretty safe until I heard that in the event of an attack my local council would co-ordinate the response. Now that's scary.
The likelihood of being exposed to anthrax is negligible. I am more worried about flying, and I will do that anyway. However, I was confident with the medical services' ability to cope with a large scale infection until I saw the words: "We're very well prepared, we have one of the best public health systems in the world."
A number of US abortion clinics have been sent envelopes with white powder. This seems to suggest that it is the work of right wing extremist groups and not necessarily al-Qaeda. It may be that these groups are using the current situation to their advantage since suspicion is likely to fall elsewhere.
How do you suppose that all of the press sensationalism and mass hysteria appears to the terrorists; that their methods are effective and have the west in disarray? I think you would have to say they must be thinking let's have more of the same.
I think that our authorities are coping pretty well with the incidents of anthrax that have come up so far. I am not personally afraid of the threat of anthrax, as we have been well educated on preventative measures and courses of treatment. I'm not at all sure, however, that we are prepared to deal with other contagious types of bio terrorism or chemical attacks. My real concern about the anthrax attacks is that they are meant as a distraction, and that while our nation concentrates all it's efforts on this form of terrorism, a much larger event is in the making.
Chris Bingham-Hunter, England
It seems to me that anyone spreading infectious diseases on purpose must be a fool. Such a move can backfire without the proper medical care.
I'm not at all worried about anthrax as the government has assured me that I am 100 percent prepared for any act of bio terrorism. It's good to have the government to tell us these things. For instance I didn't realise that I was 100 percent committed to declaring war on Afghanistan the good old government announced it to me without even hesitating to indulge in any time wasting like discussing it in parliament. Providing the same stringent controls are in place that so effectively have dealt with foot and mouth, run the railways and keep the NHS and education services going, I'm sure we'll all be in the safest of hands.
John, UK
I agree with John's comment. The sensationalising of these attacks will create more panic than the attacks themselves. What we need is dispassionate information. Many newspapers around the globe are reporting either "mass hysteria" or "mass panic" in the United States over the anthrax attacks. Nonsense. I've seen none of that. Adults are going to work, children to school. There is a heightened awareness of the danger, and people are being more cautious when opening packages, but we're "getting on with it."
I'm much more concerned about the amount of damage the press can do than the threat of anthrax itself.
Jacky, UK
There seems to be complete hysteria regarding the anthrax cases. After all, more people die in car accidents every day than have died from anthrax and yet no one is afraid to get into an automobile.
Deborah Parr, England
If we become afraid, the cowards have won. Life is too short without having to go through the anxieties of "what if" situations. The weapons would have been used anyway, so deal with it as and when.
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