HEPA/Vaccine Plan for Indoor Anthrax Remediation

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Emerg Infect Dis
• Personal Author:
  Wein, Lawrence M. ; Liu, Yifan ; Leighton, Terrance J.
• Description:
  We developed a mathematical model to compare 2 indoor remediation strategies in the aftermath of an outdoor release of 1.5 kg of anthrax spores in lower Manhattan. The 2 strategies are the fumigation approach used after the 2001 postal anthrax attack and a HEPA/vaccine plan, which relies on HEPA vacuuming, HEPA air cleaners, and vaccination of reoccupants. The HEPA/vaccine approach leads to few anthrax cases among reoccupants if applied to all but the most heavily contaminated buildings, and recovery is much faster than under the decades-long fumigation plan. Only modest environmental sampling is needed. A surge capacity of 10,000 to 20,000 Hazmat workers is required to perform remediation within 6 to 12 months and to avoid permanent mass relocation. Because of the possibility of a campaign of terrorist attacks, serious consideration should be given to allowing or encouraging voluntary self-service cleaning of lightly contaminated rooms by age-appropriate, vaccinated, partially protected (through masks or hoods) reoccupants or owners.
• Subjects:
  Air Pollution, Indoor Anthrax Anthrax Vaccines Bacillus Anthracis Bioterrorism Disaster Planning Humans Micropore Filters Models, Biological Spores, Bacterial Vaccination Ventilation

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• Source:
  Emerg Infect Dis. 11(1):69-76.
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  New York City, NY
• Volume:
  11
• Issue:
  1
• Collection(s):
  Emerging Infectious Diseases
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:e720e771827a95d77e3e5ef0f83cb5c94651d40875bbb2e01c1feaf375a66e80
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/15655/cdc_15655_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 195.09 KB ]