Anthrax testing 'took too long'

Postal workers were told anthrax risk was 'minimal'

Health authorities in Washington DC have admitted that there were delays in testing and screening postal workers after the first traces of anthrax were found.

But Dr Ivan Walks, chief health officer for the city, said procedures had now been changed and there was daily contact between officials directly concerned.

They did it (testing) for the senators and the congressmen. They should do it for us just the same

New York post union leader William Smith

He spoke shortly after it was announced that anthrax had been found at a postal sorting office that handles mail for the White House.

It was also confirmed that the deaths of two postal workers at another sorting office in Washington had been caused by anthrax.

Postal workers are angry that Congressional staff were tested immediately after an anthrax-contaminated letter was sent to Senator Tom Daschle last week, but those who had sorted the mail were not tested until five days later.

Officials said they were going on the best information they had at the time.

Many postal workers said they were relying on the media for information because of the lack of information from postal service management.

Random testing criticised

Deborah Willhite, a US Postal Service senior vice president, said that the problem would be handled differently in the future and added: "The enemy is whoever sent this letter. That's the important thing people have to keep in focus."

Although workers are now receiving antibiotics, they were told last week that the risks were minimal unless they had opened a contaminated letter.

New measures should help protect postal workers

In New York there is also anger that only random testing for anthrax is taking place among the city's postal workers.

Unions want all workers tested.

William Smith, president of the New York Metro Area Postal Union, said: "They did it for the senators and the congressmen. They should do it for us just the same."

To calm fears in the workforce, 7,000 New York postal workers are also being offered antibiotics.

Safety improved

Dr Steven Ostroff, an adviser to the postal service, said the distribution was only precautionary and there were no reports of any New York postal workers with anthrax.

Stung by criticism, the postal service announced on Monday that it would spend $1bn on new security measures, including machines that use radiation to kill bacteria and spores of diseases like anthrax.

On Tuesday, President Bush also authorised immediate spending of $175m to improve safety at postal facilities.

Staff are being told how to treat suspicious mail

The postal service is also sending cards to 147 million addresses in America, telling people how to deal with suspect post.

A "Suspicious Mail Alert" poster and a video is being distributed to thousands of mail rooms - both within the postal service and at US businesses, to increase vigilance among workers.

Postal service spokesman Greg Frey emphasised that the first line of defence remained the vigilance of employees.

"We need their watchful eyes and common sense to help us through this period," he said.

Postmaster General John Potter also promised further sweeping measures to prevent the service being exploited by terrorists.

He said that the $1m reward for information leading to the capture of those behind the attacks still stood.