www.elitecme.com | 2019 | INFECTIOUS DISEASE, DISASTER PLANNING & WOUND CARE 9 |  BIOTERRORISM at best. Unfortunately, unlike controlled burns to quell a fire, when it comes to a pathogen, the options are going to be limited. For the public, the best option may be a reverse quarantine in which individuals shelter themselves from the public in order to avoid infection. As for health- care, they will have to be ready for an influx of patients that will need a variety of different medical and mental health treatments. As we have learned with SARS in China and Canada, it will be fast, unexpected, overwhelming, and draining both of resources and personnel. Vaccinations seem to be the key ingredient to fighting off various viruses that can cause death. Can they stop the wrath of infections caused by bioterrorism? Jason states: “We have vaccinations, which can offer some protection such as in the case of smallpox, flu and now Ebola. However, many of the pathogens that could potentially be used in such an attack would be ones for which there is no vaccine. Healthcare con- tinues to develop protocols for different events and could incorporate a standard “code” for a terror event. California has been discussing this for some time and has focused on Trauma Centre preparation for a wide variety of situations, not just bioterrorism. As for the general public, people should make it a habit of bookmarking their public health web- sites to get a feel of what may be in the environment at any given time, not just in one of distress.” Preparedness is key. According to a recent study published in the Lancet, 2019, “Development of new vaccines and antimicrobial ther- apies remains a priority, including the need to expedite clinical trials using new methodologies. Better means to protect health-care workers operating in dangerous environments are also needed, particularly in areas with poor infrastructure. New and improved approaches should be developed for surveillance, early detection, response, effective isola- tion of patients, control of the movement of potentially infected people, and risk communication. Access to dangerous pathogens should be appropriately regulated, without reducing progress in the development of countermeasures.” There are many challenges in developing programs for healthcare facilities and the general population in order to prepare for a terroris- tic attack. Jason goes on to say that much like many of the situations in which we discuss a threat that is rare, there is an issue with trust. While the idea of a bioterrorist attack may be circulating in the community, acting to prepare for that threat is difficult to accomplish. The combina- tion of time, resources, and dry runs, will make it difficult to get health- care to commit and almost impossible for the public. Places such as Los Angeles have implemented Measure B, which is designed to help in this case but that is just one aspect. When it comes to the public, we’re not talking about nuclear bomb threats of the Cold War. No matter how much we may bring up the pandemics of the past, few are going to listen. Which means, when it comes to preparation, the only real assurance is that the public won’t get involved. If a bioterrorist attack does occur, the general population may not turn into zombies as seen in Hollywood blockbusters, but they can be affected with illnesses that attack their immune system and can cause death. There may be no sure-fire way to prevent a bioterroristic threat from occurring.Thebestthingtodoistoknowwheretogoandwhatresources to contact through local government, city and community outlets. n Ersilia Pompilio RN, MSN, PNP is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, and CEO of Rogue Nurse Media 501c3. She hosts and produces Nurses and Hypochondriacs Podcasts where she brings together Nurse Experts, Storytellers, Comedians, Actors and Activists to talk about hot topics in health care. She’s a freelance writer/ blogger and teaches writing to healthcare professionals.. REFERENCES • http://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/bos/supdocs/95112.pdf • https://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/toolstemplates/entertainmented/ tips/Bioterrorism.html • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4921253/ • https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(18)30298-6/ fulltext • http://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/bos/supdocs/95112.pdf • http://www.hasc.org/sites/main/files/file-attachments/2011emercodesurveyre- sults11-30-11_final.pdf • https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/103/42/15693.full.pdf • https://academic.oup.com/jid/article/194/Supplement_2/S155/851290 • https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-024-1263-5_11 • https://www.nature.com/articles/nrmicro2644 • http://www.revistamedicinamilitara.ro/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/RJMM-vol- CXXI-nr-1-din-2018.pdf#page=38 Ever wonder what makes a hospital special– what truly sets it apart? We think we know. We see it in Skilled Nursing, where young hands meet the old. We see it in ER and soft hands comfort the rough. We see it in OB as capable hands touch the tiny - for the very first time. We see it in smiles, in tears, in laughter and in pain. But most of all, we see it in the hands of those who work here - the welcoming, wonderful hands of our Humboldt General Hospital family. If you’re looking to finally practice in a place where curing and caring go hand in hand, look no further than Humboldt General Hospital. We offer a competitive salary DOE; excellent benefits including Public Employees Retirement System, group health insurance, accrued PTO and sick leave, and no state income tax. Discover a great place to live and work, 74 miles from Oregon border and three hours from Lake Tahoe. Modern rural 52-bed facility in Northern Nevada. Mail, fax, or email resume to: HR, Humboldt General Hospital 118 E. Haskell St, Winnemucca NV 89445 Ph: 775-623-5222 Fax: 775-623-5904 Email: rose@hghospital.org EOE Welcome home... and hurry. We could use a hand. 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