Genesee County Health Department
Better Life Through Better Health
Guidelines
for the General Public
on
Handling Anthrax Scares
Facilities in Genesee County have received anthrax
threat letters. To
date, none of these have involved anthrax spores. The following
guidelines can be of assistance to those handling the mail. Should a suspicious letter
or package be received:
·
Remain calm
·
Do not open the
letter or package.
·
If the letter
or package is opened and powder spills out, do not clean it up. Keep others away from
the area.
·
Immediately
wash your hands with soap and water.
·
If you are at
work, tell your supervisor.
·
Call 911 or
your local police department.
·
Evacuate the
area.
·
Local law
enforcement officials, working with the FBI, will do a risk
assessment and contact the state health department, if necessary.
·
Place all
clothing items that came in contact with powder from the letter or
package into plastic bags. Keep
these bags open, so that the clothes are available for law
enforcement officials to examine.
·
Make sure that
everyone who handled the letter or package washes their hands.
·
Make a list of names, addresses and telephone numbers of
anyone who handled the letter or package. Share that list with law
enforcement officials.
·
As soon as
possible shower with soap and water.
·
Do not go to a
clinic or emergency room unless you are sick enough that you would
go under normal circumstances.
If you do not have symptoms, there is not a test that can
screen for anthrax.
·
If you do have
contact with health care providers, do not request testing for
anthrax or treatment for anthrax (e.g., antibiotics) unless you
are directed to do so by local and/or state public health
officials.
Suspicious packages or letters may have the following
characteristics:
·
Excessive
postage
·
Handwritten or
poorly typed addresses
·
Incorrect
titles
·
Title, but no
name
·
Misspellings of
common words
·
Oily stains,
discoloration or odor
·
No return
address
·
Excessive
weight
·
Lopsided or
uneven envelope
·
Protruding
wires or aluminum foil
·
Excessive
security material such as masking tape, string, etc.
·
Visual
distractions
·
Ticking sound
·
Marked with
restrictive endorsements such as “personal” or
“confidential”
·
Shows a city or state in the postmark that does not
match the return address
If laboratory tests confirm that a material that
you have been exposed to does contain anthrax spores, contracting
the disease can be prevented by early treatment with antibiotics. Anthrax is not spread from
one person to another. Prompt notification of law enforcement
officials is essential to rapid response.
Release Date:
For immediate release Kill Date:
Oct. 21, 2001
Contact Person:
Gary Johnson, M.D., Medical Director
Genesee County Health
Department Phone: (810) 257-3612
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